


Welcome to the Masquerade

by KitHourglass



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Angst, Betrayal, Cuddling, F/F, M/M, Masks, Past Child Abuse, Rebellion, Secret Identity, Someone give Gabriel a hug, There's fluff too I promise, Torture, masquerades
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-16 00:43:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 38,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9266207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitHourglass/pseuds/KitHourglass
Summary: In a world where Angels rule over humans, and the slightest crime is punished with death or life imprisonment, people and creatures of the land gather at the Masquerade.   Where they can be someone else, buy banned objects, and plot against the Angels. Among these, a small mismatched group of rebels band together to fight.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Well this is a long time coming. But here it is the start. Just a few notes, then on to the story! 
> 
> This was edited by TeamFreeWillAlways. Thank you ever so much!!!!
> 
> The title was taken from the Thousand Foot Krutch song of the same name
> 
> Also, updates when be posted about once a week, but I reserve the right to post more or less often. 
> 
> Story time!

"Unrest. Rebellion." Whispers in the street. "Too long. Too long we've been ruled over, trodden on." They whispered, in dark allies, behind locked doors. Rebellion. Unrest. We dare not speak of it aloud. Rebellion. Unrest. Disquiet. 

In the city, they needed a place. To buy and to sell what wasn't allowed by law. Law of the Angels. So far above us, the people would say sarcastically, spitting in the dirt. They come down and rule us. Don't care about us. Ignorant. Arrogant, the bastards. We don't need them. They treat us like cattle. They torture us and take away everything, our very humanity. For they aren't human *spit* They wouldn't know how to be. 

We need a place. A place we can talk without fear. A place we can buy and sell forbidden things--do forbidden things. Where we can plot against them. But we must protect ourselves. They'll find us. Our place. They always do. Condemn us. Throw us in prison. Torture us. That can't be helped. They'll find us. But what if- they don't know who we are? No one can turn us in. No one can condemn us. Cover our faces, change our voices, use the fey magic. A dance. A masquerade. And they'll find us, oh yes. But they'll never know who we are.


	2. Honey

Sam Winchester was woken up at 4 am by his brother throwing a pillow at him. 

"Ugh. Dean, what?" Sam mumbled, startled, pushing the pillow off his face. Sam was usually the first up, getting the strong black substance the city called coffee to wake him up. They would head out at 7 am to get to the market as the sun rose, selling their wares along with the rest of the citadel. It was one of the main things the lower class of the capital city of their kingdom, Heaven, did to survive. Find a useful talent and sell it in the market. They would buy other people's wares, in some poor excuse to live. 

To the common eye, Sam and Dean were just two normal men; Dean, a mechanic, fixing and building things, and Sam, who helped his brother in addition to repairing books. But most people didn't know that they hunted the creatures of the night, helping to keep the city safe. They avoided the Fey, who lived in (somewhat) peace with the humans. Sam and Dean didn't go after them unless they started messing with the humans. But there were still the werewolves, ghouls, ghosts, vampires, and witches. The people knew all of this of course, but they didn't know that the hunters kept them safe from the supernatural. Since the Royal family wouldn't. 

The Royals weren't even human themselves. They were angels, and most of them seemed to hate the humans, though they had been entrusted with ruling over the humans, by some nameless God, one who had been MIA as long as anyone could remember. Yet they still followed the law of their Father and ruled over the humans. Not that they did a very good job. There was no way any of the people knew of killing them, only the angels did, for they put their own kind down. The did not care for the humans and left them to their own devices, so the hunters picked up the angel's slack and fought off the supernatural. 

Sam and Dean collected information through a variety of sources; the market the tavern and- well, they didn't speak of that. 

Now, Sam sat up glaring at his brother and not understanding why he was up. 

"Get up, Sam, they just called an inspection. We've got to hide the, you know, certain items that could land us in jail and not living happily as market sellers, in the attic." Dean said urgently and somewhat sarcastically. 

"Oh shit." Sam yelped, springing out of his bed and running to the workshop room to gather the knives, swords, maces, and various other weapons in the small attic apartment and hiding them in a space in the wall. Sam knew that it would eventually be discovered someday, but it was all they had. 

Dean was grabbing Sam's banned books and potions, sliding them under the floorboards. He looked around the room. 

"Are they all hidden?" He asked the younger Winchester, knowing his brother would understand what he meant. 

Sam nodded just as the door was knocked on aggressively. It was an advantage of hunters that one of their contacts usually knew when an inspection was coming up. This time it'd been Rufus who warned them, a retired hunter who owned the building they lived in currently. 

Dean hurried to the door, glancing back at his brother. "Sammy, put some pants on." 

Sam glanced down and groaned, seeing he was only in his underwear. He grabbed them off the floor as Dean called "Let us get some clothes on, be there in a second!" 

Even as the man on the other side of the door yelled "We're from the castle, open up!" 

Luckily they still looked sleep rumpled and not like they hand been up and about the apartment hiding things and had known the soldiers were coming. 

Dean opened the door, Sam standing behind him. The two men walked in. "This is a routine inspection," One of them said. Dean spread his hands. "Go ahead, I was thrilled to start my day two hours early, so it was so nice of you to wake me up." 

Sam groaned internally. Dean always insisted on being a smartass and provoking the soldiers. He couldn't understand why a human would work for the Angels. 

Sam knew why. They wanted money for a change. They wanted the option to not be thrown in prison for something petty. They wanted food for their families. But Sam and Dean Winchester wouldn't do that. They would fight against the Angels. Hell, Sam was sure they would join a rebellion or two before they were either killed or ended up in prison. 

One of the men shoved roughly past Dean. Dean's jaw tightened but he didn't say anything. The other man was younger and more cautious; walking carefully past the brother and flashing an apologetic look at Sam. Sam gave the young man, boy really, a small smile back. 

The two soldiers looked through the apartment. They found nothing, and Sam breathed an internal sigh of relief. They left soon after, Dean just barely containing whatever comment he wanted to make. Sam gave him a look after they couldn't hear the footsteps anymore. 

"Dean you can't keep harassing the soldiers." 

His brother rolled his eyes. "I'll punch them in the face if I don't." 

Sam groaned. "Dean, you can release all that pent up energy tonight, okay? We might even have a case after all that." 

Dean brightened, "It's dancing night, isn't it?" Sam rolled his eyes but nodded. Dean clapped his hands. "Well, let's get started on our wares and just hope we have a case tonight. I mean, we haven't had one in ages." 

Sam refrained from pointing out that that could be considered a good thing. Less Supernatural creatures trying to kill people = Good thing.

 

Five hours later, Sam was drinking a cup of bitter coffee and negotiating with a person about the price of the repair of his mechanical pigeon. The things were quite popular these days, used much more than the traditional carrier pigeons for message sending. Dean didn't trust them, and he had good reason, they broke easily and weren't as reliable as a real pigeon. But people in Heaven didn't like keeping things alive, they barely kept themselves alive in the smoky, rapidly advancing city. At least Sam and Dean could always depend on having shitty metal pigeons to fix. 

When they had settled on a price and the man had walked away to sample the other goods and services, Sam glanced over to see Dean flirting with the girl across the way selling metal jewelry. He sighed. They were supposed to be looking for a case, and Sam was pretty sure that wasn't what Dean was doing. Sam mused to himself about cases. He figured they needed to go to the Roadhouse, a tavern owned by an old hunter family, close friends to the Winchesters. Ellen might have something if they didn't find anything tonight, and with the loss of cases it was getting more and more likely he would have to ask Ellen if she had been told anything. He also needed to talk to his brother about the rebellion. So far they had just been hunting but they had yet to actually take a stand against the angels. Sam was going to investigate that tonight. Or rather, Ash, Sam's alter ego at was. 

He was startled out of his thoughts by a great clattering sound. Sam peered to the left, to see a man attempting and failing to set up a stand. Sam glanced at his own stand and across the way at Dean. His brother could see their stand from his position (if he ever took his eyes off the chick he was chatting up's cleavage). But Sam would be right next to their stand if he went to help the poor fellow. Deciding on being neighborly, Sam stood up and went to the other man. 

"Hey, you need some help man?" Sam asked the guy kneeling on the ground. 

A pair of startling blue eyes snapped to his. "If it isn't too much trouble." The man replied, his voice sounding deep and growly, as though he wasn't sure how to use it. 

"No, no trouble at all," Sam smiled, holding out a hand to pull the other to his feet. The dark haired man took it and let Sam pull him up. 

"I'm Sam. I have the table next door with my brother." Sam said when the man was standing, hands still clasped. He was shorter than Sam, but most people were. 

"Cas." said the man. "I am not used to markets, and this table will not stay up, not to mention the stand. I don't even have any wares to hang up there and I find it unnecessary." Cas grumbled, letting go of Sam's hand and turning to glare at the errant stand. 

Sam chuckled, and helped set the stand up so it wouldn't fall and placed a piece of wood under a wobbling leg. When they were done, he helped Cas set out his wares which were various products made of honey. 

"Wow, this is amazing. You gather the honey and make the candles yourself?" 

He nodded. "Bees are such noble creatures." he said, admiring the jars set out . "I love watching them. They are more intelligent than people think." He paused, turning those intense blue eyes on Sam. "Do you like honey, Sam?" 

Sam smiled. "Oh, yeah. My brother, Dean, and I love honey. Our mom made all sorts of things with it, and it's perfect with butter and toast . . . " Sam trailed off, realizing he was rambling. "Ah, sorry. Got carried away." He glanced away, playing with his bangs which had fallen his face. It was a nervous habit that Dean often teased him about. 

Cas just continued to stare at him making Sam flush under the electric stare, before Cas turned, picking up a jar of honey and offering it to Sam. "For helping me." Cas said, pressing the jar into Sam's hands. 

Sam was the one staring now. "What? Shit, Cas, honey costs a lot of money, you don't have to do that."

Cas tilted his head, like an owl or a kitten, hands still against Sam's. "I know. You helped me, you are kind and I would enjoy talking with you again. It is a gift." He said plainly. 

Sam opened his mouth to protest again, but then shut it. They hadn't had honey in months, and it was a gift. Cas was showing he appreciated what Sam had done, and seemed to like him as a person as well. He took the honey, at last pulling his hands away from Cas'. 

"Thanks, Cas. It's always good to make a friend." He smiled at Cas, and the shorter man returned it, even if it was a bit of a lopsided smile. It made Sam's heart melt. 

Sam practically skipped back to his own stand. 

 

Dean was thrilled with the honey. "I've got to meet this guy." 

"His stand is right beside us, which you would have known if you weren't busy flirting." Dean rolled his eyes at Sam's comment, prompting Sam to give his brother a bitch face before continuing. "I think you'll get a chance to meet him. He's pretty awesome." He was grinning stupidly and he knew it, but couldn't bring himself to stop. Dean ignored the look or didn't notice it. Mostly likely the latter, as he would have teased Sam mercilessly about Cas if he had noticed. 

"Got any case info today?" Sam asked while Dean stared in awe at the honey. 

"What?" Dean was shocked out of his revere. "Oh, nope. Still hoping we'll find something tonight." Dean reluctantly placed the honey in the cupboard of the kitchenette. 

Sam nodded. "I have some things I'd like to talk to you about tonight, also." 

The older Winchester cocked an eyebrow as he began to peel potatoes for their supper. 

Sam sighed. "You know we can't talk about some stuff except there." 

Dean groaned, but nodded. "Yeah, yeah." He dropped the potatoes into the boiling water while Sam heated some old biscuits on the stove. 

"Who's going first?" Sam asked during supper.

"You." Dean said even though Sam could tell his brother didn't like it. "I'll meet you about an hour later." He stirred his potatoes moodily around his plate. Sam attempted to get his brother to smile. "Honey, Dean." He grinned. 

"Don't call me honey," Dean teased, getting up and bringing the honey over. They each spooned a small amount onto their hard biscuits. 

"To the Masquerade." They said, biting into the biscuits, and getting read for the night ahead.


	3. Dance

Sam stepped swiftly though the streets, heading to the bridge which was the latest gateway to the ball. The Masquerade was a black market, it was how certain individuals shared their thoughts, ideas, information, magic objects, banned book, and fey magic. It had anything and everything you could think of, and quite a few things you'd never want to. It was through the fey dust that the people could get to air pockets, as it were, between the human and angel dimension and the fey dimension. The mysterious founder of the ball had infiltrated one with fey dust, and created the ball out of it. It was engineered so you needed fey dust and the password of the fortnight, and the new password was told at the end of every ball, and the portal place, or places, as there was often more than one, was changed with the password and announced at the same time. It could be a tree, a door in a tavern, the cloth covering a doorway, a bookshelf, a lake. 

The Winchesters used it for cases, magic objects and banned books. Dean also used it for hook-ups. Sam did not. 

One thing Sam knew about the ball was that rebels also met there, and he wanted to see and hear them talk, see what they were made of. At the Masquerade, everyone was someone else. They wore masks and changed their names, their voices. They could be a whole new person, no strings attached. 

Sam approached the bridge. He wished he had Dean with him, but they couldn't arrive together, it could be dangerous. He ducked under the bridge, melting into the shadows. Finding he was alone, he searched till he found the painted symbol on the underside of the bridge. He blew the fey dust onto the symbol and whispered the password.  

Sam pulled his mask out of his pocket, and tied it on, as the symbol began glowing a soft gold, and Sam stepped through the stone. 

When he opened his eyes, he was in a brightly lit balcony, his clothes changed to reflect the glamour of the ball room and matching the white and red mask he wore. That was one of the catches. You had to make your own mask, the ball wouldn't let you in if you didn't have one, and if it wasn't beautiful, you would be dressed in drab clothing. You had to have that mask. Had to know some who knew the password and location to get in. 

"Welcome," a man standing by the door said. Sam nodded and descended the stairs onto the dance floor. He spotted a fortune-teller who often knew much more than she let on. 

Sam smiled at her. "Hello, Pamela. Care to do business?"

Pamela looked up from where she was watching the dance. "Only if you'll dance with me, grumpy." She teased, making her way over. 

He rolled his eyes. "You know Orion is more impressed by your charm, Pam." Dean went by Orion at the ball, and he and Pam loved to flirt, though nothing came from it. 

She grinned. "So he is. But I don't see him so, I'll have to settle for you, Mr. tall, dark, and nearly, but not quite as good looking as his friend." Sam snorted, and took her hand, joining the dance. Sam asked her what she knew any cases, and if she knew why they were disappearing. 

Pam's eyes gleamed behind her mask. "I've been waiting to tell you and Orion about that. From what I've heard, who can tell if it's true, there's someone, or something new fighting them. The crime rate, supernatural and otherwise has gone down drastically. People are speculating about it. You'll hear lots of things tonight, I'd look around if you want to know more." 

Sam shook his head, turning and spinning, whirling the two of them around the dance floor. "It's all just so weird," He said when he caught his breath.

Pamela nodded in agreement. "It is. But I nearly forgot, I got you that plant you wanted, Ash."

"It's not just a plant, it's got properties. You should know about this stuff, Pam." 

"Mmm hmm. You and your Herbology." She said. "Do you have my book?"

Sam nodded, removing it from his cloak as the dance ended. "Here you go, safe and sound." He said, handing it over. Pam tucked it into the jacket of her dress. Sam returned to the conversation at hand. "So nothing about a case? No werewolves, no vamps? Ghosts, ghouls, hell demons and Angels and even people. It's just been so tame." Sam shook his head. "I don't get it. What could do that?" 

Pamela raised her eyebrows at him pointedly as they whirled past the other couples. "Well, there might be something there with the Angels." 

He stumbled, causing them to bump into the pair on their left. "What? What do you mean?" 

Pam glared as she tripped from Sam's blunder. When she righted herself, she spoke. "Think about it, Ash. What else could suddenly have nightmare creatures dying or hiding like this? My guess is either the Angels are finally doing their duty, or much more likely, something big is coming. In fact," She lowered her voice to almost a whisper, leaning in to say in Sam's ear, "It could be the rebellion." 

Sam quickly pulled them out of the dance to avoid hitting anyone else. "What?!" He whisper shouted in the shadows at the edge of the ballroom, gripping his companion's elbows and looking hard at her. "What do you know about the rebellion?" He asked, knowing now was his chance. 

The woman smirked, but she looked a little apprehensive. "Save those moves for the bedroom, tiger."

Sam took deep breath and loosened his grip. "Please, Pam, tell me what you know." 

She nodded. "I'm not a member of the rebellion per say, but I help out where I can. From what I've heard, they're getting stronger." Pam eyed him. "I didn't know you had an interest in it." 

"I do." He said. "If you know someone, could you point me in the right direction?" 

"Yeah," Pam said, nodding toward a red haired girl dancing across the room. "Talk to her, in the pink dress, she can set you up. Though you may have to wait till next ball to get involved." 

Sam thanked her, and turned to go, but the woman grabbed his arm. "Ash, be careful. Don't get yourself in too much trouble." 

He smiled. "I'm always in trouble, but I'll be cautious. I always am." He left her side and crossed to the redhead as the dance ended, but was apprehended by his brother. Dean held him by the upper arm and pulled him into yet another dark, shadowy corner. How many of the things were here? 

"Orion!" Sam hissed though it was doubtful anyone could hear. "I was going to talk to that woman about-" 

"The rebellion, I know." Dean said quietly, which was quite a feat for his brother. "I already have that covered." 

Sam's eyes widened. "You've been talking with the rebellion without me? If we do something major, we do it together!" He whispered. 

The other man snorted. "Yeah says the kettle calling the pot black." At Sam's opening his mouth to protest, Dean covered his brother's mouth with his hand. "Hear me out. When you said you wanted to talk to me this evening I figured it was about this. I had been looking into it as well. And I just stumbled upon someone who can help." Dean removed his hand then glared. "Besides, you were going to do the same thing." 

Sam sighed by didn't deny it. "Yeah, okay right." He cleared his throat. "So um, who did you find? And are you really interested in joining this crazy thing?" 

"I was on board when I heard crazy." Dean grinned cheekily. Growing more somber, he sighed. "Our whole lives have been fighting, and I'm tired of living like this. This is our chance to end it, do something for the people. Get those assholes off the throne." 

"I figured you'd think that." Sam nodded. "I agree. So who'd you find?" 

The older man glowered, making a bitch face almost as impressive as Sam's. "Someone I hate to work with, but hates the Angels as much as we do. Also a total bitch." 

Sam frowned. "We know this person, don't we?" 

"Yup." Dean answered, popping the p. 

"We've attempted to murder this person at least once and they've attempted to kill us right back, haven't they?" 

"Most defiantly." 

"Fuck." 

"Wait until after dinner at least, sweetheart." Purred a female voice behind Sam. He groaned and glared at his brother. Dean gave him a what could I do she was the only one look. Sam turned to the young woman dressed in tight layers of purple and black, long dark hair falling perfectly down her back. 

"Hello, Meg." Sam said. 

"Hellooo, Ash." The demon laughed, running the tips of her fingers over his shoulders. "My, my, have you gotten taller?" 

"What are you doing here, Meg? And how exactly are you helping us with this? Thought you liked chaos." He looked to his brother too, asking without words, What the hell is she doing here?

"I do. But I hate my kind, and I hate the angels, and someone has to teach those douchebags their place. So I happen to know about rebellions. There are many different ones, but I doubt you want to be in Team Crowley or Fairies Rule All. So I give you the misfits." 

Dean stared, horrified. "They're not actually called the misfits, are they?" Dean was making a face that implied that no matter how great they were, he was not joining. Sam shot him a look. 

"It's what I call us. A mess of outlaws from different groups. Not big, but there's some people helping in other cities. You should probably meet someone, he has rather good intel on the angels. Not completely part of the fight, but willing to give information. I'll find him, stay here, pretty boys." Meg winked, and swept off into the crowd of dancers. Dean growled.

"I wish to God, or whatever that we didn't have to get help from her, but this effort seems better than ones I've heard about." Dean muttered, glaring after the demon. "I hate her guts." 

Sam rolled his eyes. "We pushed her out of a building, I think she gets the message. And I'm sure the feelings is mutual." Sam had met Meg at the ball, and they had flirted with each other, gaining information for their various cases, each using the other. That almost friendship had later crashed and burned when Sam and Dean met Meg in an abandoned building, a trap she had set for them while working for another demon. The brothers  had pushed her out a window, and her host died later when they exorcised her out of it. That wasn't even the whole of it, leaving out the time she had possessed Sam for a week. They were now at an unlikely impasse, as she told no one what their true faces and names were. She had a new host now, which she had let the Winchesters see the face of. Sam didn't trust her, not even close, but he knew she was smart, and she was a good place to start with trying to get the Angels dethroned. 

They stood in their corner, till Meg came back, dragging a man and the ginger haired woman from before with her. "Some people you might want to meet, boys." 

The gold haired man was shorter than 6'0" but not terribly short, probably 5'10" or 11" although heights could be altered to some extent. His gold eyes gleamed mischievously behind the fox mask he wore. The woman was shorter, her hair a beautiful shade of red, and she looked much more solemn than her companions. Dean was, unsurprisingly eying her, but either the lovely woman did not realize, or did not care. 

"Loki, our info man, and Grace, this gorgeous woman, are part of our little band of rebels." Meg said proudly, and she too was eying Anna. Sam suppressed a groan. 

"Stop flirting, Meg, we do not have time for it." The woman, Grace, said primly. She turned her eyes to Dean, the lace of the mask framing her green eyes. "You too." Dean stepped back, and Sam would have laughed, if it weren't for the worry at the back of his mind. This was no normal woman. 

"Ash." Sam said, holding out his hand to Grace. She took it, smiling slightly. 

"Orion," Dean said, not holding his hand out to anyone. The blonde man raised an eyebrow. "No handshake for me?" Sam took his hand, and the man grinned at him. 

"Boy, you are tall. My my, Sasquatch." Loki winked at him. 

Dean returned his attention to Meg. "This isn't a rebellion." 

"No. It's a band of misfits. If all the rebellions joined, we could do something, but the demons are being led under Crowley, and the rest of the groups want something different. We want peace. Or at least to get the angels off. Like I said, we have other people in different towns, but right now this is us." 

Sam shook his head, pacing. "Will that ever be enough?" 

"I doubt it." Dean said, glaring at Meg. 

"It won't ever be enough if we don't try, kiddo." Loki said, a smile still on his face, but eyes weary.  

The brothers looked at each other, and Dean nodded. Sam turned back to Meg. "We're in."


	4. Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, I am so sorry this was late, I've been having writer's block recently but I think I'm back on the horse now, so to speak. I hope you enjoy this next installment.

With a clear plan on their minds, actually doing something about their corrupt government, maybe making life better for everyone; it made it easier to sleep that night. Not being woken up waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too early that morning helped to. Dean needed his beauty sleep. Apparently so did Sam, as his brother was still in bed when Dean got up, making a pot of the horrible coffee. Made sense, Dean smirked, as he looked at Sam's long hair spread over his pillow. God, his brother was such a girl. 

"C'mon, Sammy, time to get up."

Sam opened his eyes and blinked up at his brother. "Dean, you're waking up first two days in a row, this is really throwing me off. Is there another emergency, or have you taken up early morning yoga?" Dean knew his brother loved yoga,the hippie kid that he was.

Dean scowled at him, and Sam was once again hit in the face with a pillow. "No, ya bitch. I just got an early start today. I want to research the Angels. If we're gonna kick these suckers in the ass, we'd better do it right, eh?" 

Sam sprang out of his bed and Dean would have been amused at how horrified his brother looked if Sam didn't look like he wanted to hit him over head. "Dean!" Sam exclaimed. "You can't just say things like that!" Sam looked at him fiercely, shaking Dean a little. "Do you understand what would happen if someone hears you talking treason like that? People have been executed for less." 

Dean knew the younger man was right, but he was trying to make things light. Sam was so serious all of the time. Never went out drinking, never picked anyone up. Sam wasn't supposed act as old as he did. The kid was too young for this crap. Dean was the one who was supposed to age faster. The one who had to grow up. Dean had grown up when he was four years old, the day a palace official had set their house on fire, for "meddling". It had cost their mom her life, their dad his sanity, and Dean his childhood. But Dean had tried to keep that from Sam. He guess he had failed that. Add that to the list. 

Dean tried for nonchalance. "Sam, relax. I'll keep quiet okay. I'm just excited. A nice fight." 

Sam let go, wearing his disappointed face as he turned to dress. "It's not a joke, Dean."

No. Dean thought to himself. And I can't pretend it is to spare you anymore, can I? 

 

Sam was laying with his face on the table, flipping through a book titled, The Glorious History of the Angels: Addition IV. It was the only research book he could get his hands on at that moment. The Angels didn't exactly have books about how to kill them in the stores. It didn't matter, Sam was only half paying attention to the book. Business was slow, Dean was reading his own book in between rewiring a metal hand, not flirting for once and Sam was watching the table to his left. Cas was making good sales with his honey and candles. And he just sat there, all awkward and attractive. Damn it. Sam had to stop staring. Or Dean would notice. And that was the last thing Sam wanted. Ever. 

Just as he had that thought, Cas glanced over catching Sam's eye. Sam sat up quickly, his arms shooting out seemingly of their own accord, gangly limbs knocking several things off the table, and spilling a jar of bolts and screws on to the ground. He looked away blushing, quickly getting down on his knees to try and clean up the mess. God, he was making a fool of himself. And Cas had done nothing but looked at him. 

Sam's spectacle caught Dean's attention as well as several passersbys. His brother raised an eyebrow at him. "Was there a good reason for that, or were you just practicing your ballet?" 

The younger Winchester flushed a darker red, and to his absolute horror saw Cas coming over looked concerned, an adorable little wrinkle on his brow. "Um." Sam said intelligently.

"Are you alright?" Cas asked, peering at Sam. Out of the corner of his eye Sam saw his brother's eyebrows rising higher. Oh no oh no. Sam would get endless teasing about this. 

"Fine, great, perfect, fabulous." Sam said, returning the bolts to their jar even as Cas moved to help him. "I was just, um. Startled. By a-" Sam really needing to come up with some good excuse. "Bug. It flew in my eye." Perfect, Winchester, great one. 

Dean was struggling not to laugh. Sam would beat him up for that later. Cas seemed oblivious. "I see. Does your eye need examined?" 

There was a large snort from behind them. Sam ignored it. "What? No, I'm great. Perfect. Hey, this is my brother. Dean. His name is Dean. Dean this is Cas." Sam said in a rush, still on his knees gesturing between Cas and his brother, who was really not making any effort at all to keep from laughing anymore. Seeing Sam's bitch face, he coughed. 

"Pleased to meet you Cas." He said, holding out his hand, and Cas rose to take it. "And you." He said solemnly. 

Sam stood, begging Dean with his eyes not to embarrass him. Dean grinned. "So you're the bee guy?" 

Cas nodded, letting go and stepping back. "Your brother was very kind to me yesterday. I hope you enjoyed the honey?" 

"It was great Cas." Dean smiled genuinely. Then it was back to his trade mark smirk. "So, exactly how kind was he to you, Cas?" 

Cas titled his head, and Sam chose that moment to intervene, glaring at his brother over his shoulder as he led Cas back to his own stand. "Sorry about him, he's a little much to handle right away. You'll get used to him." 

"Sam, don't apologize. Your brother was fine. He liked my honey. I had hoped for friends, and it seems that I have found some." Cas' smile was a beautiful thing to see, and it made Sam feel flustered again. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers, ducking his head self-consciously. 

"I'm glad. Hey, you need anything over here?" 

Cas smiled at him. "Yes." 

 

"Change of scenery. Just what I need." the oldest Winchester said to himself as he entered The RoadHouse, a Tavern owned by Ellen Harvelle, the wife of a hunter who had died in the line of duty. The Winchesters and the Harvelles were good friends, and it was Dean's favorite tavern. Plus, Dean was finally getting a break from Sam Winchester, who was crushing like a teenage girl on the socially awkward bee keeper next door. 

It had been nearly a week since they met Cas and both Winchesters had hit it off with him, though Sam was the one with the bad case of puppy love. Cas loved to talk about books with him, fueling that nerdy brain of his. Not that Dean truly minded. Cas seemed like a good guy, and Sam might not have so many chances in the future. Dean couldn't imagine Cas part of a rebellion like them. He was a quiet guy, kept to himself. Probably lived in a shack outside of the citadel. Calm. Good for Sam. And Dean liked the guy too. But still, something about him didn't quite add up. 

Dean shook it off. He was being paranoid. Cas was awkward, but he was normal. Not the kind of guy who killed strange creatures in the dark and went to illegal balls. Ellen looked up from where she was pouring someone's drink when she heard the door. 

"Well it's about time you come and say hello. I told you and your brother not to be strangers, and look what you do." She eyed him disapprovingly even as she filled a mug with beer for him as he sat down at the bar. 

Dean gratefully took it. "Sorry, Ellen. We've been busy." She raised her eyebrows. Of course she knew about the decline in hunts. Ellen Harvelle knew everything, Dean was pretty sure. 

He sighed. "I do want to talk, there a table in the back we can grab?" 

Ellen nodded. "Yeah, a good one, but I'm working hard, lots of folks tonight. Jo's not here, and she was supposed to be back half an hour ago. Depending on what you need to talk about, I might have someone who can help you." She nodded to a ginger Dean hadn't seen before serving drinks, flirting with the prettiest girls. Dean liked her style. So did the girls. "Just hired her. Knows tons, and is one of the best researchers I've ever met. She might know what you need, and I can spare her for a couple minutes. Plus, think you'd get along with her. She's spunky. Charlie!" She called to the girl, who winked at the maid she was charming before hurrying over. 

"Hey, Ellen." She said, sounding a little flustered, but bright and bouncy. 

"Charlie, this is Dean Winchester, thought you two could discuss some of your research. He's a hunter and needs something new. Always more with this one. And I don't want you two getting distracted on the girls, understand?" Ellen said sternly. 

Dean pretend to be affronted. "Why, Ellen, I never." 

She rolled her eyes. "Go on." 

They grinned at each to other, going to a table in the corner. Dean could already tell they were going to be very good friends. "So Charlie, you a famed researcher?" Dean asked as they sat down. She shrugged, bobbing her head to the beat of the music, and pulled a book out of her apron. 

"More like a superfan. I read everything, and eventually I decided to go find my own adventures instead of just reading about them. So I came here, to the majorly fucked up capitol, learning all about the angels and monsters. So far I've just been helping Ellen find information, but I'm working my way up there. So what are you doing, Mr. Hunter?" 

Dean lowered his voice. "Angels. We know almost nothing about them." He wasn't as worried about speaking what could be considered treason here. Ellen's place was fairly safe, plus it was hard to hear and they weren't speaking out and out rebellion.

Charlie nodded, clearly understanding where he was coming from. "Well, I'll give you what I know. There's the King of course, not that we see him much, and Naomi the Queen. We seem to see her more, not sure why. She scares me more then Michael to be honest. Then there're the kids. Do you even know their names? It's really hard to find those things, other then Raphael since he's the crown prince." 

Dean shook his head. "There's a princess, I think, Anne or something? And a couple other boys." 

Charlie nodded. "Uriel is next, then there's this prince that basically disowned them, I can't find his name anywhere, and no one knows if he's even alive. The Princess is Anna, she's almost never seen. The last one that I know of is Castiel, there's like one or two mentions of him. There are rumors that he's not Naomi's real son, Michael had a mistress." 

Dean was surprised. "Goody goody Michael had a mistress?" 

Charlie shrugged. "It's what I heard. Don't go around repeating it. That's about all I know about the family, but hey we have some names. If you want to know about other things, I have some more notes." 

They spent the next half hour talking about the angels castle, guards, books and even some of the lore about wings before Charlie had to go back to work and Dean needed to head home. He said goodbye, some books of Charlie's tucked under his arm, some of his questions answered, but still having a thousand more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam's mask: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0165/4414/products/mask-colombina-contrast-4-plum-wine-red-1_grande.jpg?v=1470555638  
> Dean's mask: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/d3/8c/f5/d38cf5624b026f810eec6ab23ae75dfd.jpg  
> Meg's mask: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/00/d7/5b/00d75b21cc283c6968717ab05cf25878.jpg  
> Loki's mask: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/c5/25/37/c525377e54aa4b1ef48b82698663b0fe.jpg  
> Grace's mask: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/15/87/dc/1587dc59668c341f2164779be592bd12.jpg
> 
> Note: I did not make these, I found these images on the internet. They do not belong to me.


	5. Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I am very sorry it took me over a month to update this, I've had a lot on my plate. But hey, here it is, better late then never! I hope you enjoy.

"What about lighting bolts? Have a Zeus moment?" Dean asked, standing up and gesturing wildly. 

Sam stared. Dean had been off all day, not making sales, snapping at customers, had barely even looked at the pretty maid who'd tried to flirt with him. That more then anything tipped Sam off that something was wrong. Dean was clearly worked up about something. 

"Lighting bolts?" Sam questioned cautiously. "Where, where did lighting bolts come in?" He removed his feet from where he had been resting them on a box of parts, sitting up straighter to look at his brother. 

Dean fell back into his seat, looking a little crazed. Sam wondered if he had been drinking. The other man ran his fingers through his hair, groaning. "We have nothing Sam. Nothing that's going to work." 

Work against what? Sam wanted to ask, before he realized what his brother was talking about. Angels. Killing Angels. With lighting bolts, granted, but Dean was still not far from talking out and out treason in the middle of the fucking market, in broad daylight. Good lord he had been drinking. 

Ever since the last ball, the brothers had been doing their best to research with banned books found by Charlie. Sam was still pretty sure they were going to be thrown into prison, passing banned books outside of the Masquerade. Unfortunately, the books had little in the way of stopping Angels. Barely anything was known about them by humans, they had just always been there. Humans rarely saw them, the Angels didn't like looking at them, and often sent the few humans loyal to them to do their dirty work. Or at least loyal to their huge paycheck. Angels were cruel, though they made it sound like humans were lucky to have the Angels to "look after them". 

But there was nothing on killing Angels. There was very little on harming Angels. They could be killed, at least by one of their own, but Sam and Dean had yet to find out how. Sam had tried to reason that they didn't need to kill the Angels, but he knew it wasn't true. They would have to at least kill Naomi and Michael to get anything done, even if they knew a prison that could hold the celestial beings. It had taken its toll on Dean. If he didn't know how to kill it, he didn't know how to stop it, and Sam knew very well that was one of the worst thoughts in his brother's head. 

Sam stood and walked to his brother. He didn't smell like alcohol, and looking into his brother's red rimmed eyes with dark purple shadows under them, Sam realized the older Winchester was sleep deprived. The ball was in two days, if Dean kept pushing himself like this, he wouldn't make it, not to mention ruin his heath. 

"Dean, we're going home." Sam murmured gently, as if to a skittish animal. Dean peered at him blearily. That solidified Sam's decision. 'C'mon." Sam packed up their stuff for the day, they were nearly finished for the anyway, most people were gone, including Cas, and Dean needed sleep. 

Neither of them noticed the figure eying them from the shadows. 

 

When they arrived in the attic, Sam put his brother to bed, as Dean had apparently been up too late, pouring over the moldy old texts Charlie had given them. There was little point to it, all three of them had been through the few books half a dozen time each. They had decided that they'd be better off waiting till the next Masquerade and asking their band of rebels, and asking around for books about the Angels or just information. If they were doing this, the Winchester brothers sure weren't going in blind. 

Dean had been trying as hard as he could to figure anything and everything out, meeting Charlie several more times to talk. He was intense about it, in a way that Sam had seen far too often, that look in his brother's eyes, the look of a man who needed to kill other things to sleep well at night. Sam hated it, hated that Dean was now turning his attention on the most powerful beings in the world. But Sam had wanted this too, wanted to help. They would take this kingdom back, and then they would move on to the next one. 

"Storming the castle. Killing the Angels. Just another day in the life of the Winchesters." Sam muttered, and even he wasn't sure if the words that fell from his lips were from bitterness at the way he had always lived, or pride at what Sam and Dean Winchester could do, if they did it together. 

 

There was a man in front of him, eyes staring him down. Sam felt as if he had been turned inside out, the man's blue gaze intimidating behind his mask. He was paralyzed, not able to say a word. Sam couldn't shake off the feeling that he had seen those eyes before. 

Sam's reverie was broken by Meg's voice. "Hot, isn't he, Ash?" She smirked, and Sam was brought back to earth. He looked away from the man in front of him to glare at her. 

"Just get Orion, Meg." Sam knew it had been a stupid idea to leave Dean in the first place, but his brother had been detrained to get answers right away. He had barely slept all that week and it showed. Sam had found Meg and the stranger, though he had lost track of Dean. Perhaps Dean was with Loki or Grace? Sam hoped he had found someone to give him some answers. Dean wasn't pretty if he didn't get what he wanted.

The dark haired woman smirked, but headed off to retrieve Dean, tossing over her shoulder, "And I was so enjoying seeing him frustrated." 

Sam resisted the urge to murder her. He turned back to the imposing stranger. If he were Dean, he'd probably go for that, cause the guy was fucking hot. But Sam had never been one for one night stands, and certainly not with someone he would be working with. Plus, somewhere in the back of his mind he felt a stupid loyalty to another man with blue eyes. He had a type, apparently. 

"Would you like to dance?" The man said, smiling in a way that was almost predatory, seizing Sam up. Well, he sure as hell wasn't going to back down from this guy. 

"Sure. What did you say your name was?" Sam asked, taking the man's hand and leading him onto the dance floor. 

"I didn't." the man said as they turned to face each other. 

In a move that surprised both of them, Sam wrapped an arm around the other man's waist and pulled him flush against Sam's body. "Maybe you should." 

Wide eyes stared at Sam. "Maybe I should." 

A beat. 

"Clarence." 

 

"We have some tricks up our sleeves. I'm the main informant here, let me handle the how, you handle the actual doing." Loki said, sipping his drink coolly. Dean glared at the son of a bitch in the dim light of the corner they were talking in. 

"And why exactly do you want to keep us in the dark?" Dean growled, looming over the shorter man. "Why are you the research guy, but not into the actual fighting bit." Dean smirked. "You scared? Injury that keeps you from lifting a sword?" He snorted with disgust, throwing his drink back. "I know your kind. I've seen it before." 

Loki's face tightened. "You know nothing about me, Orion." 

"I know enough." Dean countered. "You trying to tell me you aren't the weak bastard who makes other people do the real fighting while he sits on the sidelines, letting other people get hurt." Dean was aware he probably shouldn't be picking a fight with a potential ally, but he was drunk and had been waiting for answers for the past two weeks, and his rage was pent up. Loki seemed like a good dick to take his frustration out on. 

"Not a bastard." Loki growled, quiet fury and something that looked almost like hurt behind his eyes. "Don't ever use that word around me again." And then he punched Dean in the face. 

Dean stumbled, but quickly righted himself and swung at Loki's stupid face. His fist connected in a crush of nose and knuckles. Dean swore he had hit hard enough to make it bleed, possibly even to break but the other man barley flinched, no blood coming from his nose at all, while Dean's knuckles were already bruising. The hell? Dean was stopped from questioning with the arrival of Meg. 

"Boys, boys, you're making a scene." She purred, "And as hot as that is, fighting is frowned upon here." 

"Sorry hon." Loki smirked, ignoring Dean. "Are we having a clubhouse meeting?" 

Dean shot him one last glare, frowning at his own knuckles. Either this guy had really thick skin, or something else was going on here. But what?  
   
"Mmm." She said, wrapping one of her hands around each of their biceps. "Ash and Clarence are waiting. Don't know where Grace got to."

Dean frowned. "Clarence?" 

"A member of our little group." Meg said, squeezing their arms. "You really are both quite hot. And Loki is a fantastic lay." 

Dean choked, looking over at Loki, who was still pointedly not looking at him. "TMI Meg." He considered. "You two knew each other before this?" 

"Oh yeah." Loki finally said as Meg lead them across the floor. "She is wonderful in bed." 

Meg preened. "We should revisit that with you, Orion. That would be an awesome threesome." 

"NO." Dean said forcefully as he pulled his arm away from Meg and stopping a few feet from the dance floor, glaring at the other two. "I hate both of your guts." 

Meg fake pouted, but the way Loki looked at him was much more serious, addressing him fully since their fight. "Do you? Or do you just hate the masks we wear?" Loki looked sad, a complete opposite of his normal self. "Though," he continued. "I think you'd hate the mess underneath even more." Dean was spared from answering by the sight of his brother dancing with a man Dean had never seen before. 

"Who the hell is that?" 

Meg smiled. "That's Clarence." 

 

Sam wasn't sure how to feel about the man currently pressed against his chest. Hot. His brain helpfully supplied Definitely hot. And mysterious. 

"So why are you in this rebellion of ours?" Sam asked. "We're not the most organized, and you seem to have your shit together." It was true, apparently Meg had recruited him because he used to be a member of the palace guard. Excellent at fighting, plus knew the ins and outs of the palace. "I mean, guard, dirty job but at least you're protected. Why'd you quit?" 

Clarence regarded him, twirling under Sam's arm with practiced grace and taking his hand again to take the lead in the dance. Sam went with him, switching fairly easily to the female steps. "I wasn't happy there, doing as you said, their dirty work. I was born into it, my father was a guard so there wasn't much else I could do, other members of the citadel tend to look on guard's children as threats even while they are young. When I was an adult I followed in my father's footsteps. I hated it, and some of my fellow men and woman were treated cruelly if they went against the King or Queen. The lords and ladies too. Zachariah  was the worst." Clarence recalled, dipping Sam in a move that took the taller man's breath away. "So I quit, and chose to put my knowledge to better uses, such as over throwing them." 

"Well glad to have you." Sam said, smiling, finding he liked Clarence more as he got to know him. "We're not exactly as qualified as you, but we're pretty fed up with how things are." Sam paused, as they stepped with the music. "Do you know how to kill them?" He asked softly. 

Clarence nodded. "The weapons they use on each other. It can kill almost anything. It's called an angel blade." 

"Do you have one?" Sam asked. 

"Yes." Clarence said, looking at him. "I managed to acquire one before I left. We'll have to find an angel armory to get more. In the mean time, I think Loki has books, and I can teach you a banishing sigil." 

"Sounds like a plan." Sam said. The dance ended and Sam lead Clarence to where his brother, Loki, and Meg were standing. 

"Hiya, Clarence." Meg said, flirt mode turned on. Clarence just nodded to her and Loki and turned to look at Dean. 

"You're Orion?" He asked. 

Dean was giving him a look. "Yeah," He said gruffly. "You any better at helping with Angels then these two assholes?" 

"Oh yeah." Sam said. "You're gonna want to hear this. This rebellion thing may work out after all." 

 

At the end of the night, they went their separate ways, unaware of the figure slinking off into the shadows to report to her master.


	6. Spy

The figure watching from the shadows was making a note of everything she saw. The tall strong man, that looked like she could break him with a thought. The blue eyed man he danced with, he would be tougher, but she would bet the throne of hell he had a dozen dangerous secrets brimming under his skin, itching to get out.  She smirked. She could break up that attachment if she needed to. It would be so easy, to play both of them. And all it would take was a low-cut dress and some well placed comments that bound them ever closer to her, and hate themselves even more. 

A man walked up to her, leering, and momentarily distracting her from her targets. "Care to dance, honey?" He asked, and she fought the urge to stab him in the jugular of his neck, the dagger strapped to her thigh burning a brand into her skin. 

The rational part of her brain told her not to make a scene. She couldn't attract attention. Instead she smiled at the asswipe. "Get me a drink first." She demand more then requested, fire in her eyes. 

"Sure thing, doll." He said, and strode toward the drink table. As soon as his back was turned, she slipped into the crowd, her red dress blending with the other colors. Her eyes scanned the masses, till she found a slightly awkward man standing near enough to the two men she had been watching and their group, who were watching on the outskirts of the dance floor. She sashayed her way across the floor, weaving through the dancers with practiced grace. She took ahold of his arm. "Dance with me?" She asked, once again more of a demand then a question. The man stared, then nodded and she lead the dance, stepping and whirling till they were only two couples from her targets. Yes, this would be easy. Almost too easy. 

"I have to go now, love." She said at the end of the dance to her partner, who hadn't said a word to her, all his brain space seemed to be caught up in staring at her in opened mouth awe. 

She stepped back into the shadows, taking a last look at the five people conversing. Meg would make this more difficult, the woman in the dark thought, glaring at the other woman. A demon mixing like that, Meg talking and laughing sincerely with the group that she had aligned herself with, ignoring her people. The girl smirked suddenly in her hiding place. Well, she hadn't wanted it too easy, had she? Here was an problem. The boys would be easy, with all their self hate and secrets, but Meg, Meg would try to stop her. Meg wouldn't second. The watcher would make sure of that. With that thought, she slipped off. Time to tell the boss. Or at least the man who thought he was the boss. He wouldn't stay that way, not if she had anything to say about it. 

 

She made her way across the city after leaving the Masquerade, many steps to an abandoned church on the outskirts of town, down, down into the sub, sub basement. After the last set of stairs, she came to the crypt, where the old saints and minsters were buried. Sitting in the middle of it, lighted by candles, was an imposing figure on a stone throne. 

"Really, Crowley, must you be so dramatic?" She asked the demon, lowering her hood with faked grandeur. The man on the throne scowled. 

"I am your King. You shall address me as such." He said in an English ascent. "Now what have you to tell about the young princes and princess, Ruby?" Two lesser demons shuffled to aluminate Crowley with candles. Ruby just rolled her eyes. 

"For one thing, I'm not sure they really are the royals, and the princess wasn't even there." Ruby paused, stepping closer to the throne, her red cape trailing behind her. "But this rebellion of theirs has potential. I could easily seduce and trick one of the members and take over when they least suspect." Her lips of the same color as her name twisted darkly. "They wouldn't suspect a thing." Ruby thought of the tall young man with floppy hair. All that delicious self doubt and hate rolled off him. It would be so easy to corrupt that beautiful body, to shape him into something of her making. 

Crowley rested his face in his hand, regarding her. "You're saying you'd whore yourself out, just to win this war?" 

Ruby's smirk deepened. "Such a harsh word." She paused, stepping ever closer to the King of Hell. "I'll make him love me, I'll break him until he's mine, till he'll give me anything. I'll be the one in charge. And all he'll see is a pretty girl, trying to help." She stepped onto the platform that held the throne, ignoring the warning looks of the other demons. She bent till she could whisper in Crowley's ear, her dark hair falling in a beautiful cascade to shadow her face. "When I set my eye on a man, he has no escape." Crowley gulped, though he tried to show no emotion, and Ruby revealed in that small victory. "Of course, there must be something in it for me?" 

The King pushed her away, breaking the spell until he looked in those searing eyes. "And what exactly do you want, more then being in favor with the King of Hell?" 

She laughed cruelly. "Really, Crowley? And you just called me a whore." Her eyes shown with mirth and danger. "And whores don't work for free." 

"Well." He said, regaining some of his confidence, scowling at her. "What do you want then, whore?" Lightly tapping a beat on his armrest, hiding the fear he had of Ruby's power and influence. She raised her hood back over her face and began to walk away. "All in good time, Crowley. All in good time." With a final swish of her cape she was gone. 

The King of Hell sat back in his seat. He would have to kill her, there was no doubt about that. But he would let her work her magic first. "Simmons!" He yelled to one of his minions. "Ring up someone who owes me a favor. I'm cashing in." 

The demon nodded, scurrying off, clearly happy not to be at the end of a pointy object. Crowley looked back to where the woman, demon really, had disappeared. "Watch out, darling, I'm coming for you, Ruby."  

 

On the other side of the city, and several stories higher, Queen Naomi, ruler of Angels, was sitting in her study, waiting for her summonses to be obeyed and put into action. Naomi was not a patient woman, and she didn't partially like the person she had ordered meet her immediately. She tapped her foot, and was just about to send for him again, when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." she called. A young man entered, hesitating before the white oak of her chairs and imposing marble desk. The boy had no guts. Partly why she hated him so much. But he would work quite well for her purposes.

"Castiel." Naomi said, regarding the boy coldly. "Sit down." 

The young man sat down at once ducking his head. "Your highness." 

"Do you know why I've called you here, Castiel?" The queen asked, leaning forward over her desk, her hands folded neatly. They were a stark contrast to each other, the Queen put together in a fine grey dress and her gold crown, regal and imposing. The Prince, messy haired and flustered, dressed in plain clothes, like he had just been in the peasant market instead of the library. 

"I assume about my observations from the Masquerade." The prince said, fidgeting. 

Naomi tsked, but kept her tone even, kind. "Do not assume, Castiel. But yes, that is why I have called you to see me. Youe reports are not as detailed as they should be. You have a prime view of this uprising, no?" 

Castiel nodded, shifting, running his fingers through his horrible dark hair. "Yes, but no plan has been devised yet, and I have had no occasion to figure out where any of them live, or their real identities." His lips curled in disgust. "They know nothing of how to destroy us. They are as harmless as the others." 

Naomi considered him. "I am your queen. And I will decide if they are harmless or not. These don't seem to be. I know of several harmful people in their ranks, though they have not been found unmasked. You will continue to report. I want them found, and I want them brought down." 

Castiel leaned forward, reaching out his hand, "Mother-" 

The Queen caught his wrist before he could move any further, squeezing with a death grip. "Don't." 

It was silent, the only noise their breath. Naomi's cold brown eyes stared into Castiel's cobalt ones. She at last released him, her face twitching in distaste at touching him. "You always were weak, Castiel. All of you are, though you have an excuse. The rest have my blood, but clearly far too much of your father in them." She said, looking at him with such hate he had to force himself not to recoil. "I am not your mother, and I never shall be."

Castiel's eyes were sad, so sad. "You are the only mother I have ever known." 

"I am your queen. I am your trainer. And because of that, it is my duty to make you fit for the crown. Your brother's and sisters wouldn't survive a day on it, but weak as you are, I can build you into a leader I will be proud of. A leader that will be resected in feared, but has full control. Raphael can't be that." She stopped, and leaned forward, making her face as earnest as she could, using the words that bound him more into her control then ever. "You'll be the kind of leader Gabriel would be proud of." 

Castiel took in a breath sharply. "I want to be." He said. 

"You will be." Naomi assured. "You will be the King to finally chain the humans, the one to break their backs and make them happy to do it. You'll harness them like so many animals, the animals they are, killing them if one toe is so much as a centimeter out of line. That is what makes a King, Castiel." She said. "One that knows how to control. You will be that King." 

"Yes," Castiel said. "I will."


	7. Temptress

"Hey, Cas, what's up?" Sam asked, leaning on his friend's stand and smiling. Cas however, didn't smile back, he didn't seem to even notice Sam at all. Sam looked closer to see the dark shadows under the other man's eyes, and his rumbled, likely slept in clothes. The tan coat he always wore was crumpled in a ball on the ground next to him. Sam went around and knelt beside his friend, waving his hand to get Cas' attention. "Hey, buddy, you okay?" 

Cas blinked several times, before focusing on Sam's face. "What?" He asked, apparently having heard nothing of what Sam had said. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" 

Sam sighed with relief as Cas looked at him, and not through him. "I asked if you were okay. You look a little beat." 

The other man shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts. "I'm fine, thank you, Sam." He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, which looked tired and strangely . . . sad? The look was gone before Sam could be sure. He stood, slouching down to lean his hip against Cas' table.  

"And how are you?" Cas asked, absently straightening the jars and candles set up on the table, hands almost touching Sam's waist, causing the taller of the two to shiver. Briefly, out of the blue he thought guiltily of his own hands on Clarence's slim waist a week before. How they had been awkward at first, dancing with another man, but it soon became easier, and Clarence's gloved hand had fit well in Sam's own. Sam didn't know why he was guilty about that, it wasn't like he was cheating on Cas, they weren't dating. He resolved not to dance with Clarence again, anyhow. 

"Good. Dean's being a pain in my ass though." Sam replied, wondering if he just shifted a little closer, if Cas' hands would brush his waist. He didn't though. He was too chicken. 

Cas laughed, and it was like music to Sam's ears, hearing his friend sound happy and light. Cas didn't laugh very much, and Sam wished he would more, it was beautiful. "When is Dean not a pain in the ass?" Cas mused, grinning up at Sam, his face lit up. Sam melted a little. 

"Try living with him, it's an absolute nightmare." Sam shot back, beaming back at his friend. Over the weeks Cas had been aquatinted with Dean's ways, from the greasy tavern food to the shameless flirting to the grouchy moods he got in. He had also been aquatinted with Sam's awkward self and his tendencies to not hear when he was deep into a book. How both he and Dean were excellent at bargaining and charming customers. Cas had asked for lessons. Sam had learned that Cas talked in his overly formal way due to little socializing outside of his family as a child, and various things about bees, though very little about his life. He wanted to know everything about Cas, even though everything he learned made him start, dare he say it, falling for Cas. And trying to save the world, or at least your chunk of it, is not done very well lovesick. 

"I do not think Dean and I would make agreeable roommates." Cas agreed, finishing his straightening and turning to the young man fully. "What has Dean done now?" 

Sam groaned, tugging on his hair. "What hasn't he done? Last week he kept muttering something about how he got bruised knuckles from punching a guy, and why he was punching some dude in the first place, I have no idea." It had been Loki, Sam recalled, and Dean had been ranting about how it was not natural. "He wasn't affected at all Sam! There's something wrong with him!" Dean had explained. 

He shook his head. "He hasn't been himself lately, he's actually reading books." Not to mention their hunts, what few they could find, Dean killed viciously. Sam should never have let him join a rebellion. Not that he could tell Cas about either of those things. 

His friend nodded in understanding. "Dean does not strike me as one inclined to books. But there is a lot of unrest right now." Cas said, speaking about the increase in killings the Angels had been doing. "He could be affected by that."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "Brothers." 

Cas chuckled softly, an almost wistful expression crossing his face that Sam didn't understand. "I had one of my own. He was quite something let me tell you." Cas said, eyes drifting to past memories. 

Sam smiled at Cas' daydreaming until he registered the past tense. "Had?" He asked. 

He almost regretted it when Cas' eyes snapped back to him and the present. "Yes. He left when I was 12, to escape something I only realized he had been saving me from years later." 

This was as close as Sam had ever been to Cas' past, and the haunted look in Cas' eyes scared him, and made his want to hold Cas and protect him from everything bad. He didn't dare ask more at that moment, knowing Cas would open up when he was ready. 

Cas shifted back to him. "But that's in the past." And the conversation was closed.  

Sam nodded, and changed the subject as Cas' blue gaze was begging him too. "Hey," He said on an impulse. "You wanna grab dinner with us at the end of the day? We have friends at the Roadhouse, and if I have to sit through another meal with Dean grouching." Sam groaned internally. Yes, Sam, seduce him with a brother eating drumsticks and getting drunk on mead. That's gonna work. 

Surprisingly in spite of mentioning that his brother was going to be generally unpleasant to everyone involved, Cas said, "That sounds wonderful Sam, I'll meet you by your stand when I'm packed up?" 

"Uh, yeah, that's fine." Sam said, mentally kicking himself for his blundering speech and celebrating inside at Cas' acceptance. They just of smiled at each other then, Cas' confession hovering beneath them, but not urgent at present, content to look at each other. 

"Hey, could I buy a couple of these candles?" A male voice asked, bursting the bubble that contained just the two of them. Cas turned quickly to the man, and began charming the man as best he could from Sam's lessons to buy not two, but four candles. Sam was proud. And maybe just a little jealous that that smile wasn't for him this time. 

                                                                                                                  
If there was one thing that wasn't going to help Dean's mood, it was his lovesick brother staring at Cas as if he had hung the moon in the sky. Sure, Cas was a cool guy, Dean liked him. But Sammy was crushing and crushing hard, if Dean had been in a better mood, he might have teased Sam about it. As it was, he just raised his hand to flag down Charlie and her pitcher of mead. 

Sam spared him a disapproving look before turning back to Cas. Charlie swung over, refilling Dean's mug and handing him a book before smiling at Cas. Dean grunted his thanks and tucked the book into his pocket, though she wasn't paying attention to him anymore. "Who's this?" She asked excitedly. Charlie had met Sam on their last visit, and she too had nerded out with him. Geez, if she did that with Cas the hippie beekeeper, Dean wasn't sure if he could stand how out numbered he'd be. 

"This is Cas, our friend from market. Charlie, Cas, Cas, Charlie." Sam said all too happy go lucky in Dean's opinion. "You two would probably get along well." 

The beekeeper held his hand out politely, but Charlie was already giving him a hug despite the tray in her hands. "I'm so happy to meet you! I've heard so much about you!" Sam blushed, and Cas looked awkward after the hug, but he smiled. "And I you." 

"Good things I hope?" She asked, blatantly ignoring the people at the next table to chat with them. 

"All good things." Cas assured. "As much as I would love to get to know you better, it seems you are wanted?" He said, gesturing to the tables around them. 

"Ellen's gonna be on our case for keeping you." Dean finally spoke up. The red-haired girl turned to glared at him. "Well hello to you too, Dean. You're grouchy tonight." 

Dean grunted and chugged his mead. "Customers are waiting, Charlie." She huffed but turned to leave before Dean grabbed her sleeve. 

"I thought you wanted me gone?" Charlie teased. Dean rolled his eyes. "I need to ask you something later." 

She shook her head. "I'm on duty all night. The answers might be in that book, if not, you'll have to wait till you come back." With that parting Charlie hurried over to the table next to them, almost tripping over her skirt as she did. Dean groaned and put his head in his hands.

"Dean," Sam hissed. "We have company." 

"It's alright, Sam." Cas told him, rising. "I have to be going soon anyway." 

Dean raised his head to see Sam's sad puppy face and was tempted to drop it again. "Oh," His brother said, standing up. "Well, I'm really glad you come out with us, this was fun." 

Dean decided to help his brother out a little, also getting to his feet. "Yeah, man, this was fun. Sorry I wasn't the best company tonight, nothing to do with you, I promise." 

"No harm done, Dean." Cas smiled. "It was wonderful to spend some time outside of market with both of you, I'd love to do it again sometime." 

"That would be awesome," Sam beamed. They stood there for a moment, before Cas awkwardly put his arms around Sam, who looked like he had won a lifetime supply of salad. They broke apart and Sam patted Cas' back looking all sappy. Dean was really, really done. He slapped Cas on the back and threw some coins down on the table. "On us," He assured. 

Sam almost glowed on the way home, and as much as Dean hated the crushing that was going on, he loved to see his brother happy. Dean however, was still trying to figure out who, or what, the masked man who called himself Loki was.

 

After that, Sam, Dean and Cas had several more outings, and things seemed to be going wonderfully, till a week later, the day of the masquerade. And it was pretty much entirely Charlie and Dean's fault. 

"Bees? How do you support bees in the city?" Charlie asked, leaning over her mug toward Cas. They were sitting at what had become "their" table, in the corner of the Roadhouse, Charlie on break had decided to join them. 

"I live outside of the citadel," Cas said from where he sat between Charlie and Sam. "It's greener there, more flowers to support them."

Charlie nodded. "I was gonna say. I'm pretty sure the only place in the city green enough to support bees is the palace gardens. They're nearly five times as large as the palace it's self, and have thousands of flowers from all over the world."  She spoke on the matter with some authority, causing the rest of them to regard her questioningly. 

"How would you know so much about them?" Sam asked, glancing worriedly at his brother. He and Dean had never outgrown suspicion of anyone, even someone they thought was a friend. It would be devastating if someone they cared about turned out to be leading them astray. Cas too, looked worried. 

Seeing their worried faces, Charlie blushed. "I read it in one of the books you've been-" here she looked around and lowered her voice "Finding for me to look through, Dean. Good lord, I'm not spying on the lot of you." 

Sam still looked worried, but Dean assured him. "Okay, yeah I remember reading something about gardens in that book, but it didn't seem important at the time." 

Sam and Charlie exchanged eye rolls, set at ease, but Cas still appeared unsure. "Secret books, palace gardens . . . ?" He stared at Sam. "What are you doing?" 

Charlie covered her mouth, looking back and forth between them. "He doesn't know?" She hissed to Dean. "I thought he was in on it?" 

"We're allowed to have company without telling them all our secrets!" Dean hissed back, as Cas counted to look at Sam with mounting horror. 

Cas clearly didn't need anyone to tell him what they had been doing, or how very informed they were. "Sam, something anything . . . could happen! Why would you . . . ?" Cas shook his head, standing up with a start. "I have to go." 

"Cas! Wait!" Sam called, running after him, but by the time he got outside, Cas was already gone. 

   
That night Dean Winchester ruthlessly stalked Loki. The rebellion had not gotten together yet, and he didn't even know where Sam was, but he needed to know what Loki was up to. Sam had left Dean's side as soon as they had arrived, claiming he needed space after what happened with Cas. Dean just hoped and prayed that Cas wouldn't tell anyone. He liked to think Cas wouldn't, but he had been so upset, just after one mention of rebellion. Dean didn't fucking know, and he needed to focus on what he could, and that was Loki. From the outside, he didn't look too different then any other guy, but all the little details added up in a way that Dean couldn't trust. Which was a shame, he had almost began to like the guy. It didn't matter now though. He had a mission. A mission, that was not easy seeing as Loki wasn't doing anything. Well, he was drinking, and flirting with Meg, but nothing spurious. Clarence and Grace weren't even there. Dang, Dean needed Sam. He knew how to observe better. And he probably hadn't downed two glasses of whiskey. Sam never drank on "business", even when he was upset.

 

On the other side of the ballroom Sam Winchester was drunk on a little bit more then whiskey, and there was a man he didn't know trying to make himself at home in his lap. He was a little too drunk to mind though. He probably shouldn't have been drinking in the first place, since it was Masquerade and anything could happen there, he needed to be on his toes. But he had, after what had happened with Cas, Sam really didn't see a point to pretend he was alright. Then a man had started talking to him, plying him with drinks. Sam hadn't really felt like refusing. He was cute, what Sam could see anyway. He didn't need to be thinking about Cas or Clarence (for his brain seemed keen on thinking about both of them for some reason) like he was anymore what with a rebellion on it's way, maybe what he needed was what Dean always said. A nice good fuck. No strings attached. This guy was certainly willing. 

"Excuse me," Purred a rich female voice, and both men looked up. Oh, nevermind, forget the guy, she was much cuter. She was hot, even under the mask. Said guy clearly had the same idea, jumping up and eyeing her up and down. "Heyyyy," He slurred. Sam laughed, or maybe giggled? He wasn't really sure. 

"Not you love." The hot girl said, to the guy, sitting down on his vacated spot on Sam's knee. Sam had a brief moment of wondering why he had been drinking, but it all seemed pointless now. No one had been in a hurry to talk about rebellion stuff, nothing had changed, it wasn't a book club for God's sake, Clarence and Grace weren't there. Sam had felt oddly disappointed. "You." The girl said, smiling at Sam. Sam smiled back. Cause why the fuck not? 

"Hi." He said, still smiling. "I'm Ash." Apparently his drunk brain still had the presence of mind to give his false name. 

"Ruby." She said, petting down the side of his face with her small white hand. "I know what you need, Ash. Why don't we step upstairs, and then we'll talk?" 

Oh, sex. Yeah okay Sam could work with that. Cas hated him and was probably going to sick the palace guards on him, Clarence was no show, so why the fuck not? 

"Yes." Sam said, and allowed himself to be dragged up and lead upstairs. They got caught up in making out in the hallway and Sam was ready to screw himself silly, when all of a sudden a strong hand wrapped around his upper arm and pulled him away. 

"Don't touch him." Clarence growled at Ruby. "This man is intoxicated and isn't in a place to give proper consent at the moment." Sam swayed towards the familiar voice, the warm strong arms that could hold him. Ruby raised her eyebrows. "Who are you to but in?" 

"His friend."  Cas, no, no it wasn't Cas was it? Cas had left, had left him. This was Clarence, answered. It was true Sam realized. They were friends. He didn't register Ruby's leaving only the words: "I'll be back, Castiel, and he will be mine." And Sam could have sworn he heard that wrong, but there were so many Cs, so many C names Sam couldn't keep track. Then there was Cas- Clarence? Holding him up and laying him down somewhere to rest. 

"That woman is poison, Ash. And you are drunk, here water." Water was pressed to his mouth and Sam drank, reaching out to cling to the shirt of the man holding him. "Don't leave, Cas." Sam muttered, and he didn't even know if he got the right name.

He drifted off with the warm arm around him, and Cas' voice saying, "I'm not going anywhere."


	8. Salve

When Sam woke, it was to a pounding head and a lurching stomach and perhaps least pleasantly, his brother's face. He tried to groan, but it came out as more of a whimper of agony as he shifted, far too bright sunlight hitting his face. He covered his face with his hands. "Deeeeean." He groaned, "Too much light." 

"Oh, sorry," Dean said, loudly, the absolute fucker. More sunlight flooded through his fingers and closed eyelids along with the accompanying sound of Dean opening the drapes wider. "Now," his brother said, setting down a glass of water beside Sam and sitting down on the bed. "I understand drinking your sorrows away, but the next time you plan to get totally shit faced on a job, warn me so I don't have to lose my damn mind looking for you." 

Sam opened his eyes, gulping the water down, sighing as it eased his dry throat. "Dean, what, what exactly happened last night?" Sam asked, realizing with growing horror he didn't remember much beyond some dude buying him drinks and now. There had been a girl, somewhere in there, and kissing? And warm arms holding him. He didn't remember and it was driving him nuts.

"You disappeared early, started getting drinks, I wasn't really paying attention, I was, observing Loki" Sam was going to ask about that one later "And after a while I noticed you were missing. I didn't think you'd be drink even with the, er, Cas thing." the younger Winchester closed his eyes again trying not to think about it and Dean continued. "Meg said she saw you at the bar, and Loki hadn't seen you anywhere. We found you upstairs with Clarence." 

Sam frowned, sitting back up and staring at his brother. "Wait, what? Like with him, or with with him?" 

It took Dean a moment to get it but when he did he made a face. "Oh my god, no Sam, some people actually can resist your seductive drunken antics. Apparently you were with some girl who didn't care you were far too drunk to consent." 

"I'm not virgin school girl Dean, I don't think Clarence needed to defend my honor." Sam protested. Dean just stared at him. 

"Dude, you were drunker then I was that time at the coast. You know, the crabs, the werewolves, and the busty women?" Dean said. Sam's mouth dropped open. "Oh my god." He buried his face in his hands. 

"And that," Dean finished,  "Was really fucking drunk. I mean, I was worried about you, man! So worried, Meg and I were actually working together, can you imagine that?" 

All Sam could really imagine was that he really needed to puke at the moment. "Oh god I need a bucket." 

And that got Dean out of the way. 

 

Sam's day only got worse as Cas was absent from market, the table that was his empty. Sam did very little work that day, between the hang over and Cas' absence. Dean left him alone grudgingly, letting his brother stew, knowing it would be better in the long run. Over the next few days, Cas was no where to be seen. Sam did calm down some, though he was worried for Cas and wishing he could just see him again making whatever he had done right. God, Sam needed his friend, even if Cas wouldn't want Sam like Sam wanted him. But Cas didn't appear, and someone else took his stand. Sam's days were spent waiting and wondering. 

He didn't stop at waiting and wondering though, he tried to find everything anyone might know about Cas, realizing as he did there was no last name to go with that, and Cas could be a nickname for something. He did ask the known gossips of the market, finding nothing more than: "Oh, that sweet beekeeper? Wasn't he the hottest thing? I'd tap that." Words that made Sam though he knew he had no right to, seethe. He asked Charlie if she had heard or seen Cas around the Roadhouse or anywhere else. He asked his friends to keep a look out. He asked the local farmers if they knew anything about a certain blue-eyed beekeeper named Cas. No one heard anything. No one saw anything. No one knew anything. It was as if Cas had never existed at all. 

"I guess I just never realized how little we knew about him." Sam said to his brother after his efforts had been exhausted several times over as they sat in the loft late in the evening. "I knew what, that his name was Cas, he had an older brother, a past he never talked about, a love for bees, that he was kind and sweet, strange and beautiful, mysterious and mesmerizing. But I don't know the first thing about him." He tugged on his hair, bent his head, asking himself, "How could I fall for someone I know less then nothing about?" 

"Because," Dean answered the question Sam had apparently said out loud. "You don't fall in love with someone for who they knew, or where they've been or what they've done." Sam's eyes slid to his brother's, shocked at the words coming so easily to his lips. "You fall in love with them for who they are now or who you think they are. You fall in love with the present, not the past you've never known." 

"Where in the hell did you learn that?" Sam asked, amazed. As far as he knew, Dean had never been in love. 

Dean shrugged and coughed gruffly. "I heard Mom telling Dad she didn't love him for his past, she loved him for the present and future. It was after they made up from their big fight not long after you were born." Dean averted his eyes, returning to fixing the machine he was working on. "I guess the point is, if you know his heart, whether you know his past or not, go find him." 

Sam stood up and hugged his brother. Dean made a noise of protest, but hugged Sam back. "If you ever speak of this again, I'm gonna remove your nuts." 

The younger Winchester laughed against his brother's leather covered shoulder. "I promise I won't talk about your chick moment." 

Dean muttered something Sam was pretty sure was, "You're a little bitch."

 

"Why don't you trust me?" Loki said, sharp golden eyes boring into Dean's green ones. Dean snorted, throwing back his drink. This seemed to have become his natural response to everything, snort, drink and sarcasm. 

"Let me count the ways." Dean replied. "For one thing, I don't know your real name or face, you have some tortured past that you're touchy about and you didn't fucking react when I punched you in the face." Dean heaved in a breath and swallowed more whiskey. "You're not even going to actually fight in the rebellion, you just what? Provide info?" Dean mocked. Loki's expression changed, how much he wasn't sure because of the mask. Ah, yes he was provoking Loki again, the guy with the iron face. Smart move, Winchester, smart move. 

The other man took a while to respond, instead gulping his drink down. Dean was starting to hate the masquerade and all it's secrets. He used to think secrets protected him, but so far they had done nothing but harm him and Sam. God damn it, he wanted to know Loki. He wanted to know what haunted those golden eyes. He wanted to know about Clarence and Grace. Hell, he wanted to know about Cas. Sam was tearing his hair out trying to find him. They had mentioned rebellion and he had fled. But he obviously hadn't told anyone as Dean at first feared. No, he was just, just what? Gone as if he had never been there. Dean couldn't stand to see his brother breaking like this. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost didn't notice when his companion at the bar of the masquerade spoke. 

"Not everyone has the luxury to be unafraid." Loki said, his eyes steely. There where so many secrets there, and Dean was fucking tired of them. 

He was also, Sam's drunken antics a few weeks before no deterrent, drunk. Again. "You and all the these secrets. There's something big, something bad that's connecting just about everything, and I'll be dammed if I don't find out what it is. 

It was Loki's turn to snort and roll his eyes. "And what exactly are you expecting to connect everything?" He seemed amused more then mad now, and it was pissing Dean off. 

The older Winchester shrugged. "For all I know, it could be the fucking Queen." 

 

It was outside the apartment building the night of the latest masquerade two weeks from the last time he saw Cas when Sam saw him again. Dean had left earlier and it was just Sam walking alone in the dark when he heard a commotion and went to investigate, his mask tucked safety in his coat pocket. When he rounded the bend to the ally way, it was to find Cas, battered, and bleeding from cuts on his arms and face. 

Forgetting everything, Sam rushed forward. "Cas, Cas oh my god, what's happened, where have you been?" He swooped in to hold Cas, who clung to him, hands moving for purchase on his waist. When they broke apart, Sam took the other's face between his palms. "What happened to you?" 

Cas swallowed. "I don't know, I got ambushed, someone throwing stones at me." He paused reaching up to touch his own cheek and Sam's hand. "I was coming to your apartment to talk to you. Guess I shouldn't have walked through a back ally." He smile ruefully. "I'm so sorry how I acted. I was worried about you getting hurt, going against the government, but I've had time to think." Blue eyes stared at him sincerely. 

Sam sighed. This was weird, for a lot of reasons, and not everything was adding up, but he couldn't worry about that now. Cas was here, and he was bleeding. "Come, on. Let's get you cleaned up." 

They entered the building and climbed up the stairs hand in hand. Dean was asleep in the other room, so Sam lead Cas to the table. "Sit down, I'll get something to put on these." Cas did so obediently as Sam went to the cupboard above the sink removing cloths and salve. He wet a cloth and sat down in the other chair scooting it so close to Cas that their knees brushed. 

He carefully cleaned out the cuts with practiced ease. When they were clean, Sam dipped a clean cloth in the salve. "This may sting a little," He warned. Cas at last managed to crack a smile. 

"It rarely stings just a little when someone says that." He winched as Sam dabbed the cloth on a cut, then frowned as if to prove his point. Sam laughed a little. 

"Touché, Touché." 

Sam worked quietly for the next several minutes, till all the cuts had been treated. When he pulled back, Cas rose and moved towards the door with a quiet "Thank you." Sam stepped in front of him. "Wow, wow, wow." Sam said, holding up his hands. "You're not going anywhere. We still need to talk, and you look dead. Come on, you take my bed. I'll sleep on the sofa." 

"Sam, I am happy to stay, but I don't need to sleep in your bed, the sofa is fine for me." He glanced towards it, a half smile quirking his pink lips. "I think I would fit better too." 

Sam looked at the couch too. "You're not gonna fit too well either on that thing." He considered, blushing as he thought of it. "We could share the bed. It's big enough. I mean, if you, uh, don't mind." Sam scratched the back of his neck and shifted feeling uncomfortable. He couldn't even ask someone to just sleep in the same bed as him without blushing, let alone getting laid. Oh shit, now he was thinking about sex. And Cas. Damn it. 

"That seems to be an ideal solution." Cas nodded, with no blushing at all. Sam removed his over shirt and boots as did Cas and they got into Sam's bed, close but not touching. 

"Goodnight, Cas." Sam said, blowing out the lamp. It was a few minutes later before a strong familiar arm wrapped around his waist and a "Goodnight, Sam." was uttered softly into his neck.


	9. Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Naomi being a bitch, and describing torture/hitting Cas. You have been warned.

The first thing Sam was conscious of was a warm weight across his chest. In his sleep addled state, it took him several moments to find this strange. When he finally realized, Sam blinked open his eyes to find a man laying on top of him and messy dark hair under his nose. The events of the previous day slowly came back to him as he watched Cas sleeping, the wound on the other man's cheek bringing back the memories and startling him into awareness. After all the searching for Cas that Sam had been doing, he couldn't just ignore how odd it was that Cas just showed up out of the blue. How did he know where Sam lived? Why had he been gone so long? Sam had so many questions, that as much as he just wanted to stay there and enjoy Cas' warmth, he couldn't. Sam slowly shifted into a sitting position, trying to move Cas off him without waking him, Sam needn't to maybe go and talk to Dean about this, but it was too late. 

Cas made a light sound, shifted and slowly opened his eyes, staring up at Sam. "Hello, Sam." He said quietly. "Did you sleep well?" 

The normality of the question almost made Sam laugh. Here he was, in bed with the object of his desire, weeks after said man had disappeared before appearing again covered in wounds, and Cas was asking him how he slept? The only thing he could say though was, "Fine, good, you?" 

The other man raised himself on his elbows, taking his hand from Sam's chest and running it through his already sleep rumpled hair, only succeeding in making it stick up further. "I haven't slept that well in a long time." Cas looked down, playing with the quilt instead of looking at Sam. "Thank you for letting me stay. I apologize for intruding on you like this." 

Without thinking, Sam cupped Cas' face in his hand, titling it up so they were eye to eye. "Cas, don't apologize. I don't mind. But where have you been? Why did you leave when I mentioned the rebellion?" He asked, voicing only a few of his many, many questions. "Why does no one know you, Cas? It was like you'd never even existed when you disappeared." 

Cas looked like he wanted to avoid Sam's questioning eyes again, but with Sam's hand on his face he could only look back, Sam being the one to pin the other with his eyes this time. Cas reached up to place his fingers over Sam's on his face, closing his eyes as if to escape from the hazel eyes gazing into his. 

"Hey, hey, look at me," Sam said softly. "I just want to understand. Help me understand." 

Cas slowly nodded, opening his eyes. "I was- worried." He picked at the covers again. "I've had bad experiences with the government, I was afraid that if you tried to go against them you would get hurt, or even killed. I had- have, gotten so close to you, Sam, I could not bear that to happened. So I freaked, left quickly, hoped to find a way to convince you that it was a bad idea, but I see now you must do what you must do." He smiled slightly, and it almost made Sam let his guard down. Almost.

"But how did you decide that? Figure out we weren't going to back down?" Sam sighed, dropping his hand from Cas' face to the blankets. "There's something you're not telling me, Cas." 

The dark haired man sat back, looking resigned. "I confess, you speak the truth." 

Sam laughed lightly reaching out to link their hands. "That for one thing, no market dweller I ever met spoke so formally." 

Cas chuckled, but quickly turned sober again. "I have to tell you something." He looked up at the ceiling, and Sam had never seen Cas avoid looking at him so many times in a row. Cas finally returned to look into Sam's gaze. "I'm not who you think I am." 

"Then who are you?" Sam asked, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that question. 

"I'm-" But Cas didn't get to finish that sentence, suddenly letting go of Sam's hand and clutching his head in pain, crying out. 

"Cas, Cas what's wrong?" Sam asked, as Cas stumbled to his feet, clutching his head. Was it witch craft? Something else? He caught his friend by the shoulders. "Hey, hey hey! Cas, what's going on, talk to me!" 

"Can't- she won't -ah!" Cas gasped, "Not . . . allowed." A trickle of blood dripped from Cas' nose worrying Sam further. Damn it, he had to get Dean. Or a doctor, risky as that could be since he didn't know who, or what Cas was. After this episode, anything was possible, but he needed to get Cas help. 

Sam held Cas up as his eyes rolled and he fell into Sam. "Allowed to do what? Cas? Cas?" When he didn't respond, Sam lowered Cas onto the bed. He was still breathing, and except for the blood and scratches from the night before appeared to be fine, just be sleeping, but after what had happened, Sam knew he had to get Dean. 

He didn't want to leave Cas, but didn't have much choice. He hurried to Dean's door. Pounding on it impatiently. "Dean! We have a situation." That was pretty much their code for anything important. He heard a couple grunts and groans before his brother appeared at the door, grumpy and clothes sleep wrinkled. 

"What Sam. It's like five." Dean grumped, but Sam was having none of it. He stepped aside and jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Cas. Dean peered around Sam and did a double take a seeing Cas laying there. "It's way too early for this. You found Cas? And . . ." Dean frowned, "Slept with him? Normally I'd be all for it dude, but he's been gone for weeks who knows where. And why are you waking me up about it?" 

"First of all, I did not sleep with him or find him. He showed up last night out of no where, all banged up and needing a place to stay. I offered my bed. Now this morning, I ask him where he's been, he starts to tell me, and then grabs his head like he's in pain, his nose starts bleeding and he passes out!" Sam exclaimed worriedly. 

Dean sighed, putting a hand on Sam's arm. "Slow down, what exactly is wrong with Mr. comatose over there?" He asked, gesturing vaguely in the direction of Sam's bed. 

Sam shook his head. "I don't know but it's- it's not natural. Maybe it's witch craft, maybe something else. There's something Cas hasn't told me, something big, and there's someone out there who doesn't want me to know." 

His brother snorts. "Well that's never good, is it?" He walked over to the bed, feeling Cas' pulse and looking him over. He came to the same result Sam had. He was fine, just unconscious. "We should still probably call someone." Dean said, "I can go ask Rufus to call a doctor." 

"And what if it's something supernatural?" 

"Dude, this is why we live in a hunter's house. We get some Hoodoo witch doctor to work some mojo." Dean said. 

Sam sighed, scrubbing his face. "Yeah, yeah, okay. Hurry." 

"Aye, aye!" Dean called, and ran out the door and downstairs. Glancing worriedly at Cas, Sam knew he should stay, but he really had to go to the bathroom. He went quickly, and then rushed back to Cas, eager to make sure his friend- well, more then a friend- was alright. But when he got back, his bed was empty. 

Cas was gone. 

 

"Quite a stunt you've been pulling, Castiel." The queen said, walking around the chair her prisoner sat bound in to face him. "What were you planning to do exactly, telling this hunter who you are?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully with her finger. "What good could possibly come of that?" Naomi chuckled darkly, leaning over Castiel grabbing his face roughly, just as a certain young man had only a few hours ago, though so, so much gentler. "Were you perhaps looking to betray me?" 

Castiel met her eyes, his widened in something like fear. "My queen, I would never-" She let his face go and stepped back. 

"Wouldn't you? You would have told that hunter everything about you if I hadn't stepped in. It's so nice, I can get into your head like this." She laughed. "But not enough. You're hiding things from me. I'll find them, Castiel. I have my ways." And she looked towards a metal circle with spicks in it. "Only one has ever been able to break free from that. Your brother, Gabriel, and you're no where near as strong as he was." Naomi slapped Cas harshly across the face. He bit back a gasp, and Naomi felt deep satisfaction in the red mark she had left on the boy's wretched face. If it weren't for her third child and his infuriating eagerness to protect his baby brother, she would have crushed and broken Castiel, till he was left a bleeding mess on her floor to be swept away. But no, Gabriel had to interfere. And she so would have enjoyed breaking Gabriel, but he had saved himself before she could. It was a shame, really. 

Castiel's head hung low, but Naomi didn't think she had broken him. Not yet. But she would, and she could. He loved this Sam, and Sam was connected to the rebellion that Cas' other alter ego had been investigating. She thought for her. Maybe he still was, but the queen couldn't take that risk. Castiel hadn't come back after the masquerade, she had had to send soldiers after him, but he had only a few scarps to prove it. She wasn't sure where this Sam lived, but enough poking around inside his head and she could find out. Queen of Angels could find out anything. 

The queen scraped a nail down the bastard's cheek, hard enough to draw blood. "I'll give you a second chance, Castiel, but I require information about all you do, and where you go. No more going to the market." 

The boy seemed to be weighing his options. As if he had any. Castiel, however, surprised her. In a fit of anger, he broke the bindings on his wrists and stood up, towering over her. "No! I will not be your puppet any more, Naomi. I am not going to let you stand by and kill my friends, or hurt my brother and sister ever again. I will bring you down." He seemed to expect she'd retaliate, but Naomi did nothing. 

"I'll enjoy it, Castiel, when everyone you love is turned against you, and your broken, bleeding body is hanging in my dungeon." Were her only parting words. 

Castiel almost growled. "That will never happen." He turned in a whirl of tan coat, and was gone. 

"Just wait, Castiel. Just wait." Naomi murmured to the empty room. "When your friends and lover's crushed bodies line the floor, you'll believe me."


	10. Gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit late, bit short, but the next part couldn't quite be fit into this. Hope you like!

"Things," Dean said, plopping down in front of his brother, "Are coming to a head." Sam sighed, trying to ignore Dean, though it was nearly impossible. Dean did his best to make his presence known at every available opportunity. 

"Dean," he sighed, barely making the effort to lift his head from the pile of books he was currently pouring through, "What do you mean?"  Sam made his voice as cold as he possibly could, to try and discourage further conversation. The other man had been driving him up the walls all week. After Cas had disappeared, again, Sam had been putting everything he had into finding out who Cas was, what was happening to him and anyway to help. No matter how Dean hinted that Cas might not have their best interests at heart, Sam had a feeling that while Cas hadn't told Sam everything, he was trying to help, not harm them. If Cas wanted to turn them in, he would have done it a long time ago. Dean wasn't so sure. But Sam wasn't blinded by love, no matter what Dean said. It was true he cared very strongly for Cas, but Sam was using his logic here too. 

So intent Sam had been at his research he hadn't gone to the market with Dean the past few days, instead staying home hunched over his books. Sam had barely ate, and slept less. That was probably what this was about. Dean just couldn't seem to give up the role he had taken in Sam's life since he was four years old, that of mother, father and big brother. It was usually something Sam loved about him, but now Dean's mother hen attitude, as though Sam couldn't take care of himself was just irritating. 

Dean paid no mind to the "Go away Dean" signals Sam was sending and continued, "Something's going to happen, something big, and soon. We've all been sensing it, the lack of hunts, the rebels banding together, everyone we've met and everything they've done in the past few months screams of it. We have to make our stand against the angels. Now. We need to talk to the others at Masquerade." Dean saw Sam's look, and raised a hand to ward off whatever the younger man was going to say to try and convince him things weren't so dire as that. "I know you aren't going to give up on Cas, Sammy." Dean said, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder and forcing Sam to look him in the eye. "But I got a feeling Cas is as tied up in this as we are, if not more so. We'll find him, I promise." 

His expression turned grim. "For better or worse." Dean clearly expected it to be worse, his mouth twisting and there was an almost pitying look in his eyes. Sam couldn't stand to see it, and he picked up his books, heading for his bed. 

"Sure, Dean." He muttered, "I'm going to bed." was his only reply to everything Dean had said to him. They both knew Sam wasn't going to sleep though. 

Dean nodded, not trying to stop the other, doing what he knew his brother wanted, not saying another word. He want to the other room, knowing Sam just needed to be left alone now. The other room served as both Dean's sleeping quarters and workshop, while Sam's bed was located in the front room and kitchen. 

He lay down on his bed, fully clothed and scrubbed a hand over his short hair. What on earth was he going to do with his baby brother? Dean was almost sure Cas was a spy of some kind. The thought made his sick, though it was far from the first time he'd had it. He was upset not only for Sam, but selfishly for himself also. Cas had been a good friend, through all his awkwardness and odd humor. He was also perfect for Sam. Sam deserved to have someone kind and sweet like Cas, awkward in social skills but wonderfully book smart and just generally good, as Cas had seemed to be. Sam wasn't like Dean, he needed commitment. Dean wasn't that guy, and he knew that many of his brother's failed relationships were because of Dean. Sam's only role model for love was Dean, and Dean screwed that up everyday of his life, with Sam, with relationships, with their dad when he had been alive. And that was part of the root of Dean's own screwed up relations, since their mom had died when Dean was four and Dad had never had any heathy relationships again. With anyone, sons, friends, women. Dean didn't dwell on that, but turned his thoughts to mindlessness. 

He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but to his surprise, a pair of golden eyes flashed through his mind. Dean's eyes opened and he sat up, shaking his head, trying to get the image to disappear. But he couldn't escape them, they were there every time he closed his eyes, imprinted on the inside of his eyelids. Dean tried to understand what that meant. The worse thing was, he knew who's eyes they were. Loki's.

Dammit, he hated the guy, though he barely knew him, Dean could recognize what a douchebag he was from a mile away. Loki had proven himself to be selfish and scared to get in a real fight. Dean didn't even know why he was in the rebellion. And his face was stupidly resistant to punches which signaled supernatural powers of some kind. Another reason to hate him. 

But what Dean hated most about Loki was that every time he looked into those golden eyes, eyes that held nothing of the selfish scared man Dean saw him as, but the eyes of a haunted, brave man, Dean felt as though he were looking into a goddamn mirror. It was a feeling he loathed with every fiber of his being. Dean was nothing like Loki. Nothing at all. 

Dean stood up, picking up the nearest object which happened to be, thankfully, a coffee can filled with screws and not the hammer beside it and chucked it at the wall as hard as he could. The coffee can made a rather unsatisfying thud before landing and spilling screws all over the floor.  

Sam must have fallen asleep after all for no annoyed little brother rapped on his door to ask what stupid thing Dean had done now. Dean didn't pick up the can, just walked over and kicked the stupid thing. Surprisingly, it didn't make him feel any better. 

 

It was in the second week of Sam's self imposed endless research that Dean got an idea. He couldn't believe he had never thought of it before. There was a job to do, and as much as Dean didn't want to bring anyone who didn't need to be involved in to it, he knew they needed Charlie. They needed Charlie at the ball. If his fellow rebels wouldn't admit to their true selves, for Dean needed to know everything about everyone if they were going to win this war, Dean was going to have Charlie find out. She was smarter then both him and Sam. And Dean knew she would help them take back their country. They were gonna kick some angel asses. And if they're were any spies in their little group, well they would do what they had to. Too bad Sam would think this was crazy.

 

This was crazy. Completely crazy, had Dean gone insane? What the hell was he thinking? 

"I know you're probably wondering what the hell I'm thinking." His brother said, right as Sam had the thought. He gave Dean his best bitch face. Dean in turn, gave him a long suffering one that Sam was not fooled by at all. "Charlie is a genies." He said. "We could use her help. We need her helping on this, we might not win this war without her." 

Sam threw up his hands. "We might not win this war with her! We aren't ready to take on the angels, Dean. We don't even know who most of our rebel group is. How at we supposed to fight with people we don't trust?" 

Dean's smile was scarily similar to that of a shark. "We'll know who they are soon enough, Sammy. Soon enough."

 

Charlie was predictably enthused, no matter how many times Sam said, "This is not an adventure- Charlie? Charlie! Dean, don't encourage her! Oh my god you're children, the both of you." Eventually though, Dean backed Sam up. They attempted to make her understand the situation as well as they could. Dean having calmed down some put his hands on Charlie's shoulders where they stood in the boys' loft. Sam was sitting at the table sorting the materials Charlie had brought for her mask. He really would have preferred to do this undercover of darkness, seeing as you could be killed for owning a mask, but there wasn't time now. Charlie would make the actual mask, he was just helping her get started. It was a right of passage, and Sam wouldn't deny her that for anything. You had to remember the first time you openly defied your government after all. 

Dean started to talk about how dangerous and life threating this was, but Charlie cut him off. "I get it, okay? And it's settled, I'm in." She turned to glare at Sam. "Now give me that stuff." She grabbed the cloth, leather, paint, and ribbon out of his hands, disappearing into the work shop. Sam and Dean exchanged a look. "What are we gonna do with her?" Dean asked. 

Sam sighed. "What am I going to do with the both of you?" 

Charlie stuck her head out the door of Dean's room. "No time for that now. We've got a war to fight, bitches."


	11. Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter, violence, descriptions of torture, though no actual torture (yet) and Charlie being a BAMF

'I am not okay' was Sam's first thought as he walked into the masquerade. Dean had been right, everything had been building, bubbling up to the surface and now it was ready to explode. The very air inside felt tense and still, as though a thousand people were holding their breath, biding their time until they could come to the surface. He wasn't quite sure why he felt like this, but he didn't doubt his feeling. 

It was Sam's job to circle around, assessing things and informing their team that Dean had an announcement while the man himself would arrive later, Charlie in tow. Sam wasn't sure how Dean planned to win this war, how he knew the secrets of their fellow rebels would get them a ticket to the angels, that all their skills would work together perfectly. All he knew was that he trusted Dean, his brother and the leader of this force. 

Sam walked the floor, observing everything, scouting around for the members of their team. He found Grace first, dancing with a man he didn't know. Sam raised his hand to her when she danced near enough, and she inclined her head slightly. He moved on, and thus didn't see the man she danced with eyes following him. 

"Ash," Sam heard behind him, and he turned, his breath catching for a moment thinking he heard Cas. But the man standing behind him was only Clarence. 

"Hey," Sam said, nodding to the other. "Do you know where the rest of the gang is? I just saw Grace but I haven't found Loki or Meg yet. Orion's in a war mood tonight. He's going to be making plans." He stepped closer and lowered his voice, and Clarence met him half way so that they stood far closer then necessary. Clarence shook his head. "I just arrived." They were so close, Sam could feel the other man's breath on his lips. If it weren't for the memory of Cas, he thought he would have gone for it. Clarence was handsome and seemed caring enough, but Sam couldn't hook up with him, when it was mysterious, strange ever changing Cas he wanted. He stepped back, turning to face the dance floor and scanning for Meg or Loki. He found the latter, chatting up a pretty girl, but even from where he stood, Sam could tell Loki wasn't really interested. 

"There's Loki," Sam said, turning back to Clarence, who was of course still much closer then he had expected. "Do you want to go over to him?" He asked. 

Clarence shook his head again. "You go, I'll keep an eye on Grace and look for Meg. When will Orion arrive?" 

Sam thought back to how much time had past since he entered the ball. "Probably in another ten minutes or so." He replied, then heeded Clarence's words and crossed the dancers to Loki. The girl that he was talking to earlier was no where to be found, and he had an odd look in his gold eyes. It disappeared when he saw Sam though, replaced by mischief. 

"Hey, Sasquatch," Loki grinned though it didn't reach his eyes. "Where's your hot friend tonight?" 

Sam rolled his own eyes a little at that. "Orion? He should be here soon. Don't worry, you two can go back to your usual biting each other's heads off." 

"Hey, he's the one who picks fights. Lets not forget who punched who." Loki's eyes gleamed dangerously in the candle light. 

Sam flashed back to Dean's words, 'It's not natural, Sam! I sucker punched him in the face, and he didn't even flinch!' Sam narrowed his eyes. "Just be careful. This thing," Sam gestured around them, "It's starting. And I can't have you and Orion ready to kill each other even if you won't be fighting. We're on the same side, yeah?" 

Loki met Sam's eyes fiercely. "Abso-freakin-lutely." 

"Well, well, I thought it was you and Orion that had all the unresolved sexual tension." Purred a newly arrived Meg. "He isn't here to play so you thought you'd try Ash here out?" She looked between them, eyes dancing with merriment. Sam sighed. "We're just talking, Meg." 

"Is that what we're calling it now?" 

"Just talking." Loki repeated over her. "It's amazing I haven't been ridiculed or punched yet." 

Sam snorted, but moved on, "Well, everyone's here but Orion." And Charlie, good lord, where were they? "I better go and find them. You two get Clarence and Grace."

"Them?" He head Meg question behind him, but he ignored her in favor of looking for his brother and Charlie. Sam started searching through the dancers, then checked at the refreshment tables. He looked by the door, in corners (bad idea, what with all the people making out and making drug deals), and lastly the kitchen, which he was kicked out of. Charlie and Dean were almost an hour later the they'd said they'd be by the time Sam had swept the ground floor, and he was fighting off panic. The only place he hadn't checked yet were the upstairs rooms, which Charlie and Dean would have no reason to go in. Still, he had to look.

He hurried up the staircase, and strode down the long hallways, knocking on doors. He was met by varies angry people who had been hooking up, a couple noises he just did not need to hear, and a score of empty rooms. He knocked on the last door on the left, and hearing nothing, pushed it open. It was dark but he could still make out the silhouette of a women. 

"Hello?" Sam called, stepping further into the room. The women didn't move, causing him to wonder if it was really a women, and not a stature or mannequin. "Hey," He said again, continuing forward until he could reach out his hand and touch the warm flesh of her arm. Just as he did, the door swung closed and locked behind him. Sam whirled around and ran to it, tried the handle though he knew it was useless. A dark, feminine laugh sounded behind him. 

"Sorry, Sam." The women spoke, and oh God he recognized that voice, enunciating his name. "You're locked in here with me, so," She walked ever closer, and when she spoke again Sam felt her breath on his neck making him shiver, in a way that was far from pleasant. Cool metal of a blade joined it. "Let's have a chat."

 

Although this was far from the first time Dean had been ambushed, and was undoubtedly not his last, that did nothing to make him feel better. He and Charlie had been walking towards the oak tree which served as a portal this week when an arrow shot by Dean's head, so close he could feel the air rushing past. It landed, embedded in a tree. 

"Get down!" He yelled, grabbing Charlie and pulling her to the forest floor with him. They weren't even at the Masquerade yet and here he was, already endangering her life. Dean didn't have time to dwell on that now though. 

He pulled his gun from it's holster and fired two shots in the direction the arrow had come from. He handed it to Charlie, getting up on his knees and pulling out his sword. "Shoot if you see something." He whispered and Charlie nodded, holding the pistol with expert skill. They didn't rise, only sat listening, the only sound their quite breathing.

Charlie pivoted on one knee, shooting a man with a raised knife who had been baring down on Dean. The bullet buried itself in the middle of his forehead. Dean hadn't even noticed him. The man staggered but straightened up again, eyes flashing black. "Dean." Charlie gasped. "What the hell?!" 

"Demon." He growled, "Use the holy water I gave you!" He jumped to his feet and swung at the demon with his sword, who dodged the blow, and managed to nick Dean's shoulder with the knife. Dean hissed but fought back, he heard a shot as Charlie aimed at a second demon, then grabbed the flask of holy water out of her jacket and pulled the cork out with her teeth, spitting it to the ground. The demon, this one also male, yelled in pain as Charlie splashed the water across his face. Dean stabbed his own query, special demon killing sword punching into the creature's chest and lighting him up from the inside. Dean wrenched the sword out, only to turn and back hand a third demon. She staggered, but came at him, while another kicked Dean in the back of the knees, causing him to fall, sword clattering to the ground. Four demons? 

Charlie, though she couldn't kill the demon, was bring him to his knees. Literally. She punched the demon in the face hard enough to break his meat suit's nose, sending him falling. She leapt on to him, holding him down with her body as she punched him repeatedly, splashing holy water in the open wounds. When it was subdued enough, Charlie jumped off the demon and grabbed Dean's sword from the ground, sticking it through the blonde demon's torso before she cut Dean's throat open where he was being held down by the two demons. Dean, an arm newly free, punched the last demon that knelt over him in the stomach. Satisfied that Dean could hold his own as he waved to her, Charlie ran back and stabbed the demon she had been fighting in the chest.  
    
Dean and the last demon rolled around punching each other until Dean pinned the demon under him. Charlie threw him the sword, and Dean stabbed the guy in the neck. 

When the last spasm went through the demon, Dean fell back, gasping and Charlie ran to his side. Both their faces were bloodily and bruising, knuckles split and bleeding. Dean had cuts on his neck and shoulder, and Charlie had blood pouring down her face from where the demon had yanked her hair, the bright red blood pasting her orange hair to her head. She was undeterred though, as she helped Dean to his feet. 

"Where the hell did that come from?" Charlie asked. "How did they know we would be here?" Dean's mouth set in a grim line. "Someone followed us. Which means they know who we are. And someone's going to miss the return of these demons. We better hurry to the ball. Make a plan with Sammy and the others." He made off the way they had been going but Charlie grabbed his arm. "Hey, hey, wait. Dean, are you okay? You took some pretty nasty hits back there." 

Dean nodded, touched by the concern. "Yeah, I'm good. You?" Charlie confirmed with a jerk of her head. "Then let's get out of here." They ran, silently as they could to the oak tree. Dean whispered the incantation, and they put on their masks. Charlie stepped through first, and Dean followed. Charlie's eyes grew to saucers, as her plain dress transformed into a ball gown, and a glittering ball room formed around them. She stood still, staring, not seeing the looks she and Dean were attracting with the blood on their hands and partially concealed faces.

"Charlie!" Dean hissed, and she started, turning to look at him. "We need to go to the others?"

She flushed a little. "Oh, right. Sorry." Dean grabbed her hand, and led her down the stairs where he could see Grace, Clarence, Meg and- making Dean's stomach flip weirdly- Loki. He couldn't worry about that now, because- "Where's my brother?" Dean asked, causing the four of them to turn and stare. 

"Brother . . . ?" Grace asked, not understanding the slip, but Clarence and Meg knew what he meant. "Looking for you," Clarence said, just as Loki gripped Dean's shoulder, the one that was cut, making him wince. 

"What the hell happened to you?" The fingers of his other hand reached out to brush Dean's bloody cheek in spite of his reaction to Loki's hand on his shoulder. Dean flinched and pulled roughly away from the other's hands. "We got ambushed." He realized he should probably introduce Charlie. "That's Charlie. She'll be joining us." He saw no reason to hide who Charlie was, they'd all know each other soon enough anyway. "I need to find my brother." 

"Last I saw, he was going into the back rooms." Clearance. "I will accompany you." Dean nodded, not saying anything when Loki and Meg joined. Sammy was in trouble, Dean knew, sure as anything. 

When Charlie tried to follow them, though, Dean put his foot down. He wouldn't endanger her further. "Charlie, no, you'll get hurt." 

"You're not leaving me here while you go off, guns blazing, to save the day, Dean!" She caught Dean's sleeve, glaring at him with eyes that were hard and determined.

Dean shook his head, just as firmly. "You already got hurt, on my watch. Please, stay here with Grace while we go find Ash."

Charlie growled. "You're hurt worse then I am. And I don't need a baby sitter!" 

He clasped her hand in both of his own. "Something happened to him, I can feel it. I can't fight if I'm worried about both of you. I promise you'll get plenty of chances to save my ass like you did earlier. I just need you to keep safe now, okay?" 

Charlie sighed, but nodded, going to stand next to Grace.

Dean doubted that anyone dancing at the masquerade that night knew the four of them were gearing towards a fight, expecting trouble. They got it. 

 

Sam stood still as the women, had been earlier. Ruby, he remembered from when he had been drinking and hooking up. She turned him around to face her, knife still pressed to his throat, eyes glittering in the near darkness. "Sam Winchester, I must say you are quite the prize." 

"How do you know my name?" Sam grit out, trying to lean way from her, but she was close, far too close. Ruby rolled her eyes. "I have my sources." She pressed the blade more firmly to his neck. "Now hmm, what shall I do with you? I could deliver you to Crowley, but I think I'll get a better price if I give you to the Queen." Sam's eyes went wide and round, and Ruby chuckled. "Oh, yes the Queen of Angels will love having you delivered right to her, a for runner of the rebellion. I've heard how nice it is in her dungeon, chained up by your wrists, beaten, sliced and singed flesh." She licked her lips, as if the thought were particularly appealing to her. Sam had to fight off a shudder, not so much at the things she colorfully described, but at her reaction to them. "Mm, yum, every single rib broken, hot pliers under your finger nails as they are slowly," Ruby traced his jaw with the knife, "Agonizingly," she pressed it into Sam's neck hard enough that a thin strip of blood dripped onto the metal, "Ripped off." 

Ruby spoke with relish, "Maybe I'll get a turn, have a try with the knife." She leaned so close that their noses were barely an inch apart. "And I can do such beautiful things with a knife, Samuel." 

She looked like she was going to kiss him. Sam spit in her face, stomping down hard on her foot. The knife at his throat jerked down his neck as she stumbled, but it was a shallow wound. At that moment, the windows crashed open and five demons came through armed to the teeth. 

"You're not taking him to the Queen. We'll be taking him to Crowley, the king!" One of them, probably the leader, said. Sam wouldn't have been able to over power that many demons, even if they weren't armed, but just then, the door began to splinter and then crashed down, and lo and behold, Dean was there, and Clarence, Loki, Meg, swords raised. They flew at the demons, who had no chance against them. And Sam well, Sam grabbed Ruby by the hair and held her own knife over her. "You'll find," he said softly, as he stabbed her in the face, "That I can do beautiful things with a knife too." 

It was quick work after that and soon there were six dead demons on the floor. Dean grabbed Sam. "Are you okay?" Sam nodded, jerkily then stared. "What happened to your face?" 

"Charlie and I got ambushed. She's okay, downstairs with Grace." Sam sighed with relief at hearing Charlie was okay. "And you?" He asked. 

"I'm fine." Dean replied. 

Sam looked around till he was satisfied everyone was okay. "We better bring them up, then we need to head to the loft. The Queen wants us. We got nothing to lose at this point." 

Everyone nodded, and Clarence said, "Let's go." 

 

They somehow gained a fey member, curtsey of Charlie. The fey had seen Charlie's wounds and come to help, Charlie had explained and now here they were, each member of their eight, slowly arriving at the loft. It took almost three hours to get everyone there because they had to stagger the leaving of the ball and the arrival times. 

When at last they were all gathered in the main room of the loft, Sam repeated his words from earlier. "The Queen knows about us. She will stop at nothing to get at us. We have nothing to lose anymore. So if you'll join me, we'll take off these masks and see each other, fight together. If you object, speak now." It was silent. Sam raised his hands to the ribbons on his mask and watched as seven others mirrored his actions. Sam had a feeling that his whole world was about to be changed, for good or for bad he couldn't tell. 

"1 . . . 2 . . . 3." Eight masks fell to the floor. Three gasps broke the stillness.

"Cas!" 

"Brother-" 

And- 

"Gabriel." 

"Hiya, Cassie, Anna." Loki- Gabriel, nodded to Cas and Grace. "We have a lot to talk about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologizes for this chapter being late, I had it written, but then needed to type it up and had laptop troubles. Also for how quickly it's ended, it was getting a little long for a single chapter. And I have no idea what I was thinking for Sam's speech, so forgive me. In spite of all this, I hope you enjoy!


	12. Savior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is late . . . again. I am so bad with updates to this story. I had a lot of trouble writing this one, I think I had built it up too much in my head beforehand. Anyway, please enjoy!
> 
> Warnings: Mentions of torture, mentions of past child abuse.

Dean stood still, eyes trained on his brother and Cas, Castiel? Dean didn't freaking know anymore. All he knew was that Cas had lied to them, and was apparently not only Clarence but the angel prince Castiel. And Sam was what, hearing him out? Dean glared, but didn't move from where he was leaning against the wall. After everyone had taken off their masks, there had been a lot of explaining to do. Cas and his sister, who was Grace, aka Anna were apparently trying to take down the queen from the inside. Dean wasn't sure if he believed them or not. Not everything was adding up. Charlie, Meg, and Gilda, the fey girl had taken their leave to go to Charlie's house, as not everyone could fit in the loft. Anna was in Dean's bedroom, talking with Loki. Who was the lost Prince Gabriel. How much freaking royalty was there? Dean didn't even know how to handle everything that was going on. He'd have to let Sam handle Cas for now, and trust him. Dean would handle the others. 

The door to Dean's chamber opened, and Anna stepped out, closing it behind her. Dean raised an eyebrow in question.

"Do you mind if he stays here? We still have a lot of things to figure out and I can't take him to the castle. And I'm sure you have some questions." 

Dean snorted. "Just a few. Yeah, whatever, if he trusts us enough not to gut him in his sleep." Anna glared at Dean. "You said it yourself, we're in this together now." 

"I'm not sure if he counts, he's not doing any fighting, just what, giving intel? The guy is a coward, through and through." Dean rolled his eyes, raised his voice a little, causing Cas and Sam to look up from their hushed whispering. 

Anna put her hand on his chest, and shoved him against the wall. "Gabriel has his reasons, and I'm frankly not surprised he doesn't what to share them with a pigheaded ass like yourself." She got up in his face menacingly. "Don't you dare think for one second that he's under you. My brother is the best man I've ever met, and I'll kill you if you hurt him. Get it?"

Sam got to his feet at the display of aggression, but Anna released Dean, when he growled "Got it." 

"Good." She grabbed her cloak and slipped out the door. Sam and Cas looked at Dean. "What was that all about?" 

Dean shook his head. "I wasn't respecting Gabriel, apparently."

Cas stood too. "Dean, I know it may seem like it, and you have no reason to trust my word, but Gabriel is very brave. But the things that happened in that castle, the things his mother put him through . . . " Cas trailed off, a look of horror flashing through his eyes. "He can't go back, but he'll help us in anyway he can." 

Dean was starting to wonder the exact back story of Gabriel, and wondering what the hell had happened. He nodded jerkily. "Yeah. You guys go back to your conversation. I need to go get something to sleep in from my bedroom." 

Sam shot him a look that said, 'Yeah, and you need to make sure Gabriel isn't doing anything, really Dean, can't you trust anyone?'. Dean's answering look said: 'Nope'.

Sam and Cas went back to their conversion, and Dean went to the door of his workshop. If he had been a more polite person, if this hadn't been his room, he probably would have knocked. If he had knocked, Dean wouldn't have seen what he did, wouldn't have seen something that meant he could finally understand, and once he did wasn't sure he wanted to. 

But Dean didn't knock. He just opened the door, and stepped in. 

Dean stopped in his tracks. 

Gabriel stood, illuminated in the light from the lamps. He held his shirt in his hands, as though he had just taken it off. A few seconds earlier, and Dean wouldn't have seen Gabriel's back. But he had stepped in then, and he did see Gabriel's back. 

At his sharp intake of breath, Gabriel realized he wasn't alone, and he balled his fists into the shirt he held. Dean closed the door, and stepped farther into the room. Neither of them said anything for moment, neither moved, scarcely seemed to breath. "Who-" Dean asked, his voice cracking like it hadn't done since he was fourteen. He cleared his suddenly tight throat, and tried again. "Who did that to you?" 

He wasn't sure why this was his question. There were a hundred other things he could have asked, regarding what he saw. Regarding the scars, dozens of them, across Gabriel's back. They looked like whip wounds, some puckered as though they hadn't be treated properly, layered across each other from numerous strikes. They were old, which meant Gabriel couldn't have been what, a teenager when the last ones where inflicted. Dean's stomach felt sick, and he suddenly had the thought he was way to sober for this. It was already bad enough, but someone had done that to a kid? He snapped out of it. No, no he owed it to Gabriel, this man Dean had been ridiculing, hating, hurting. He owed him to be sober, to treat him with respect, Dean had never had to deal with such pain, and the least he could do was be clear headed when confronting this man. Gabriel, who he had punched in the face, hurt again, and again, in words and actions. As though Gabriel needed any more hurt, when it was spelled in ropes of pain across his shoulders and back. 

Gabriel didn't turn around, but he stiffened further when he heard it was Dean. He laughed then, bitterly and so broken sounding it was a painful sound to hear, worse then a knife to the gut. His next words, words a million children had uttered before, in pride, in sadness, in hate. Two simple little words to answer Dean's question, these two words that broke something completely in Dean to hear them. Spoken not with pride, not with sadness or hate. Just absolute emptiness, no feeling, as though the feeling itself would crush Gabriel if he let it, and so must be spoken with a lack of emotion. "My mother." Gabriel said, quiet, and empty. 

Dean gasped, as though he had been the one wounded by the hand of the one who had bourn him. Dean's memories of his mother were few and far between, but they were clear, her smile, her voice singing him to sleep, the pie she made. How could a mother hurt her child like that? How was it even possible, and Dean couldn't comprehend, couldn't understand, couldn't have understood if he puzzled over it until he was crumbling to dust and the world itself was ending.

The near silent steps Dean took seemed thunderous in the stillness. He stood behind the prince, close, but not touching. "Why would she do this?" Dean asked. "How, how could she do this?" 

The other's snort had little humor in it. "Don't show me pity now, Dean. It means nothing since you hated me naught two hours ago." 

"You said to me once, I hated the mask you wore. That's true. I hate it, I hate the act you put on. I have no idea who you are. Help me understand, Gabriel." Dean bent his head forward, his breath on Gabriel's neck, the man shorter now that his heeled boots were off. This was not that man he had hated. It was someone far different, someone Dean had seem in a pair of golden eyes, and thought of, and understood, but had refused to believe in. He was trying to believe in that person now.

While his hands itched to touch Gabriel, Dean knew that wasn't his place. So he stood still, and waited. Hoped. 

There was a shaky inhale, and the lost prince began his tale. "When I was six years old, one of my mother's human maids died from sickness. In her chambers, there was found a little boy, only a year old." The side of Gabriel's face that Dean could see quirked up into a smile. "Messy black hair, and big blue eyes, he was a fine looking boy. And he looked exactly like my father."

Dean took in a sharp breath. So the rumors were right, Michael had been unfaithful. "Cas?" He asked, quietly, just to be sure.

"Cas," Gabriel nodded. "My mother was furious, demanded to have him killed. My dad though, he declared Cas to be a rightful prince, and he was raised with the rest of us. Raphael and Uriel didn't like him, they had been influenced by our mother long enough. Not Anna and I though." He chuckled a little. "We doted on Cas, loved him to bits a raised him." Gabriel cast his eyes down. "He thinks I saved him, but truth be told, he saved me. If Cassie hadn't been there, Anna and I would have went along with our mother, wouldn't have questioned her. But Cas saved us." 

'How did you save Cas?' Dean wanted to ask, but he had a feeling that part of the story was coming, and it had something to do with the scars on the angel's back. 

Gabriel continued after a few moments. "The more we loved Castiel, the more the queen hated him. She tried to kill him several times." The side of his face Dean could see had gone dark. "One time, she got so angry with Cas, she slapped him across the face. He was only seven years old." Gabriel shook his head. "That was her mistake. And that's when I made mine. This time, I got mad."

"What did you do?" Dean asked, prompting the golden eyed man to go on, as though this were just any story around a camp fire. 

"What you would have done." Gabriel replied softly. "I stood up for my baby brother." Dean's breath hitched. This man knew him, and they had only taken off their masks a few hours ago. "She hit me, hard. I told her she could hit me all she wanted, but if she ever touched a hair on Cassie's head I would kill her." Gabriel snorted. "She didn't like that I rebelled. So she took me at my word. She took all her aggression out on me. If she couldn't have Cassie, she would beat me into submission. She never quite managed it, though." 

"At first it was little things, hitting me, caning me a few times. She hoped it would make me behave, and she could hurt my little brother in peace. She tried to make me hate him too, by associating the pain with him. It wasn't just the beating, once she found out that wasn't working, when she was really mad I'd end up in the dungeon, chained up by the wrists, beaten, whipped, sliced and diced. She made me say things too. Made me say I hated Cas, that he was doing this to me. I almost believed it a few times near the end. Naomi knew that she couldn't hurt Cas, because no matter how sick I was I would stop her. So she tried to make me do it instead. She tried to turn me against him. I was so scared she would do it. Maybe it would take a hundred years, but my mother had never failed yet. So when Cas was old enough to defend himself, when I had confided in Anna and begged her to take care of him, I escaped. This is the first time I've seen my baby brother in almost ten years." A tear rolled from Gabe's eye, and Dean could tell it was of happiness. Dean's thumb wiped it away before he noticed he had moved his hand, and then both of his hands somehow came to gently hold Gabriel's hips, Dean pulling the other man against him to hold him against Dean's chest.

Dean shook his head, holding Gabe a little closer as he almost melted in relief into the other's arms. "When you finally escaped that hell, you didn't even do it for yourself. It was still to protect Cas. It's- amazing." Dean had never met someone like that, someone so selfless. He didn't know how long he would stand if someone abused him everyday like that. It made him want to hold this man, and never let go. Perhaps that was stupid, he had only truly known Gabriel for a few hours, but Dean was past caring. 

Gabriel sighed. "You'd have done the same. I know it. I could tell by the way you acted around your brother that you would. I think that's what- did it. For me. About you." Dean didn't have to ask what Gabriel meant. 

They were silent for several minutes, neither moving away. Dean knew he should, that he shouldn't have touched Gabriel in the first place, but he couldn't help it. He carefully moved his right hand from it's hold on Gabe's hip and raised it just above the angel's shoulder, where one of the scars started. He's breath was harsh on the back of Gabriel's neck as he murmured, "May I?" 

There wasn't really a good reason for Dean to touch the scars, but he wanted to touch Gabriel gently, where he had been touched with hate, as though he could change the past. Gabriel exhaled shakily, and for a moment Dean was afraid that he had lost him, this moment would be gone, but then Gabriel nodded slowly. 

The first touch was feather light, and still made the golden eyed man flinch a little. "It's okay." Dean murmured, stroking his fingers down Gabriel's back, tracing the raised flesh. "I'm not going to hurt you. Not going to hurt you." He repeated, and the hands that had held guns and knifes and killed, rough with calluses were gentle and healing on Gabriel's skin. Dean was barely aware of what he was doing, didn't plan to lean down and kiss the skin of Gabriel's neck, just above a scar. Didn't plan any more then that, if not for Gabriel's sharp breath and hands grabbing Dean and pulling him closer. 

He pressed his mouth to the scars, whispering, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, for everything," kissing over Gabriel's back and shoulders, as though he could erase the pain and the scars with only his lips and his love. "I'm sorry for how I treated you. God, I'm so sorry, Gabriel." 

Gabriel turned, suddenly, pressing a palm to Dean's chest and using the other hand to cup the back of Dean's neck, leaning their foreheads together, Dean's arms wrapped carefully around his back. "Thank you," Gabriel murmured, "Thank you for saving me." He looked up and met Dean's eyes. "I'm going with you to fight, and we're gonna kick Naomi's ass." 

"Damn right we are," Dean said, and then they were kissing, finally, mouths slotting together perfectly, bodies fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. Dean had no idea how this became his life, how the man in his arms became part of his everything in a few short hours. But- he thought as he kissed Gabriel, he wasn't going to let him go without a fight. And then he didnt think for a long time after that.


	13. Betrayal

The door was closing behind Dean when Sam turned back to Cas, looking at him uncertainly. Sure, he had talked with Cas many times before, as both Cas and Clarence, but Sam didn't know quite who Castiel was. His instincts were telling him Danger, Danger, Danger, that he shouldn't, couldn't trust Cas. His heart, of course, was telling him different. 

After Cas, Gabriel and Anna had talked, Cas had returned to speak to Sam, the two of them sitting in the corner under the watchful eye of Dean. Close enough to intervene, but far enough away to only hear mummers if they spoke softly. "I know this is a big shock, Sam." Castiel had said, fidgeting with his fingers, and not meeting Sam's eyes, awkward and ashamed. They had flicked back up to look at Sam though, saying "You have gotten to know me as two different people, neither of which was honest with you about who he was. I never told you that I was a prince, betraying everything he knew for something better." Sam hadn't replied, just waited for the other to continue.

"I am Cas, Sam. But I'm also Clarence, and sometimes I am Prince Castiel of Angels." His eyes had darkened with pain. "Sometimes I must be." 

Sam had nodded. "I get that you had to hide who you are, I get that, I do. I hid who I was from you too, though I'm guessing you found out Ash and Sam were one and the same that night I was wasted and you rescued me from Ruby. Did you?" When Cas nodded, he had gone on. "Yeah, I never had a very good brain to mouth filter when drunk. What I don't get is," and here Sam had shaken his head, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, "Why is Prince Castiel of Angels part of a rebellion to overtake them? Why would you turn on your own people?" Sam had sighed. "I want to believe you're on our side, but it's not adding up. Those weeks you disappeared, the time you seemed like you were going to tell me who you were, and then fainted? Help me out here, Cas." That was the first time he had said Castiel's nickname since he had gasped it upon the reveal. He had been pleading, and Cas knew it. 

That had been several minutes ago, before they were interrupted by Anna and Dean's fight. Sam had seen the angels well known strength when Anna had shoved his brother like he was nothing more then a doll. It might have been threating, if Anna hadn't been doing it to defend her brother. Sam had hoped Dean of all people would understand and let Anna go while Cas explained for the both of them. He had, but still went into his bedroom. To get something. 

Now, Cas looked worriedly back at Sam. "Dean won't hurt him, will he?" 

Sam shook his head. "Not without a good reason, don't worry, if Dean doesn't come out after a while or we hear something, I'll check on them. But I think it will be okay, Dean's got most of the fight taken out of him tonight. He may fight with his tongue, which he's gifted at, but not with his fists." 

Cas nodded in relief, and was silent. Sam waited. Cas sighed, glancing at the door to Dean's chamber one more time, and looked at Sam with the expression of a man who has resigned himself to his fate. What that meant for this story, Sam wasn't sure. 

"There's a few reasons why I, and my sister and brother, are turning our backs on our family, our race, and our inheritance. The first is that their mother, the Queen Naomi is relentless, ruthless and frankly, sadistic.

If Sam said he was surprised to hear that he'd be lying, but one thing he caught that made him pause was, "Wait, their mother? She's not yours?" Sam recalled a bit of information from Charlie, "There were rumors the King had a mistress. Those were true?" 

Castiel assented with a nod of his head. "Of sorts. My father had an affair with my mother, one of the Queen's ladies maids. When she found she was pregnant she didn't dare tell him for fear of being executed. She concealed her pregnancy as long as she could, then left under the pretense of visiting her sick mother. She returned with me, smuggling me into the castle. We found all this out in her diary. She died when I was only a year old, and when I was found in her quarters looking undeniably like Michael, he declared me as his child and royalty. Naomi, though, she hated me, and what I represented." 

His eyes were far away now, looking back. "She would have abused and killed me, but Gabriel-" Cas' voice broke, and he swallowed some of the water that Sam had given him. "He saved me. He offered himself as Naomi's punching bag. She couldn't have me, so she hurt him." 

Suddenly, Sam understood. He had heard the story before, lived it. The older brother who protected the younger one, at the cost of his own life if need be. Though it had been much more drastic in Gabe and Cas' lives. 

Sam could see the guilt in Cas' eyes, and he reached over and put his hand on Castiel's knee and squeezed. "It's not your fault." He whispered.

"If it weren't for me- if it weren't for me, he would have been safe," Cas breathed, his eyes downcast, a single tear rolling down his face. Sam gently brushed it away, and tilted the prince's face up to meet his eyes.

"Hey, hey, look at me." the younger said moving his other hand from Cas' knee to his face and cupping his jaw in Sam's hands. "It is not your fault. Gabriel saved you because he loved you, and you could never have stopped him. And it was his choice to do that." 

Cas nodded quickly. "I know. But that doesn't make it any easier. Scars on his body, wounds and pain and hours of torture, because of me." 

Sam imagined if that were Dean, if Dean had been tortured just for saving his life. He didn't know what he'd do. Sam pulled Cas into his arms, and the other came willingly. "Those scars are on his body, so yours wouldn't be in a grave." 

Sam's angel shuddered in his arms, his tears wetting Sam's neck, and Sam's answering ones fell onto Cas' hair. They held each other for a long while, keeping each other safe. 

When Castiel was calm, he pulled away to continue, but he held one of Sam's hands in his. "Gabriel eventually escaped, fighting back against the Queen as well as he could by giving advice to rebels such as yourselves. Meanwhile, once Anna and I were old enough we began rebelling because of their mother. Someone so corrupt shouldn't rule our land, and our older brothers weren't much better. So that's how we're here." Castiel smiled ruefully. 

It was at that moment that it occurred to both of them that there had been absolutely no sound from Dean's room. Cas sent Sam a look. "Should we intervene?" 

Sam listened for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't hear any fighting. Who knows, maybe they're bonding." 

Castiel raised his eyebrows at Sam. "Some how I doubt that, but I suppose we should leave them be." He let go of Sam's hand and brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and resting his chin on them. "But that's not everything Sam, I-" He reached into his pocket, searching for something. Cas frowned, patting his clothes. 

"What's wrong?" Sam questioned. 

Cas stood up and looked around. "I had a watch, a gold pocket watch. I was going to show you, but I must have lost it." 

They both searched the apartment, but couldn't find it. Finally Cas put on his coat. "I'm going to look in the ally, maybe I dropped on the rush here." 

"I'll go with you." The Winchester said, standing as well but Castiel shook his head.

"No, you stay here, make sure that our brothers don't kill each other. I'll just be a moment." And with that he hurried out the door. 

Sam idled for a few minutes, and when he got too fidgety he began pacing. Where was Cas? Should he go after him? It had been almost ten minutes. He eventually decided to check on Dean and Gabriel and if Castiel wasn't back by then he would go see what was taking so long. Maybe he just needed a light to see in the dark ally. 

It only took a few steps to get to the workshop door, the loft wasn't exactly big. He knocked on the door, and waited a few beats. "Dean? Gabriel? Everything okay?" He called softly. There was no reply, and Sam's stomach knotted in worry. But surely he and Cas would have heard a struggle. He cautiously turned the knob and pushed the door open. Sam's jaw dropped. 

On the bed, Dean and Gabe were tangled around each other, Gabe's head on Dean's chest, one hand gripping Dean's shirt tightly. Dean had both of his arms wrapped protectively around the smaller man, his face buried in Gabriel's hair, and the front of his shirt wet, as though from Gabriel's tears. They were both asleep. 

Sam slowly closed the door, and leaned against the wall,  trying to process what had just happened. His brother and Gabriel were- cuddling? And it looked like Gabriel had been crying, what had been going on? This war was bringing them together, weird as it was. 

The door opening startled Sam, as Cas stepped through, a forlorn expression on his face and no watch in sight. "Couldn't find it?" Sam asked. 

"No." Castiel replied, then tilted his head at Sam. "Why are you right next to the door? Did something happen?" He stepped closer, drawing near Sam in only a few steps. 

"Nothings wrong. Though the world might be ending, Dean and your brother are cuddling." Sam chuckled, but quickly swallowed when he realized how close Cas had gotten and the very solid wall behind his back. 'No escape' whispered something dark in his head. 

Cas startled. "What?" 

"Yeah, I know." Sam nodded, but inside he was panicking a little. Damn Cas and his lack of personal space. Damn it damn it damn-

"I guess this is bringing us together." Castiel said, breath hot against Sam's collar bone where Cas had directed his stare. He looked up to catch Sam's eyes, a silent plea. Part of Sam wanted to wait, to have Cas explain furtherer, but he was tired, so tired. He knew what he wanted, and explanations could wait till tomorrow.

Sam ducked his head to catch Cas' lips in his, wrapping his arms around the prince and pulling him close. Castiel responded in kind, pressing fast kisses against Sam's lips before pulling away to breath, "I love you- Sam Winchester, I love you." 

Sam stared at the man in his arms. "I love you too, Castiel." It was startlingly easy, so so easy to say and to kiss Cas again, melting into each other. It was easy to pick Cas up under his thighs as they kissed and carry him to the bed, so easy to touch him and hold him and love him. 

Too easy, and too good, almost, to be true, Sam thought as he drifted off to sleep, incased in the angel's arms. 'This is too good to be true.'

And it was.

 

There was shattering glass, and yelling, and the screaming of a woman's voice, "Sam! Cas! Wake up! We have to get you out of here!" Sam couldn't process in his mind, but his body had already sat up and reached under the pillow for his gun. It was missing. That jolted Sam fully awake, a life time of hunting helping him identify everything that was going on. The window on the wall by the bed was shattered and there was a man in full leather armor there, coming for Sam. Two others, of what Sam now realized were palace soldiers burst through the front door and headed for the bed, where Cas was sitting up looking wildly around, and Anna who had been the one trying to wake them on the floor. She jumped to her feet, and started defending them with a sword while Sam stood up and fought with his fists. He had to protect Dean and Cas. Shit, Dean was in the other room. 

Sam roundhouse kicked one of the soldiers, and grabbed Cas' hand, sprinting for the workshop where he could hear crashing and his brother's yelling. He flung open the door to find Gabriel backed into a corner by three soldiers, fighting with a sliver sword with one hand, and the other flung out to the side as though to protect something. Sam didn't see Dean. 

"HEY!" Sam yelled, rushing forward and grabbing a sword before tossing one to Cas who caught it and rushed forward to defend his brother. Sam's mind was whirling as he cut and sliced to help Gabriel. Where was Dean? That's when he saw what was behind Gabriel. His brother was curled on the floor, unconscious and bleeding while Gabriel withstood cut after cut as he fruitlessly tried to save Dean. Sam's blood boiled over as he saw what they had done to his brother and dispatched one of the guards with a sword through his torso, and Cas and Gabe killed the soldiers they in turn were fighting. Gabriel dropped to his knees, lifting Dean. Sam had little time to bask in the victory though for at that moment, Anna was hurled through the door, half unconscious and bloody. Cas ran forward to help her, but another solider shot through the door and seized him. 

"Prince Castiel, you are being formally escorted back to the palace in thanks for your intel." The man said as Cas struggled. Another one came up to take his other arm, stating, "The Queen wishes to thank you personally for your assistance in capturing these rebels." Cas' eyes were terrified as he struggled. "What? What are you talking about?!" 

"What?" Sam and Gabriel gasped at the same time, staring at Castiel. Sam's heart was thudding in his ears as the soldiers surrounded them with Cas in the middle like the guest of honor. "Cas." He gasped. No, no no no no no no. Cas couldn't have, wouldn't have, he had been with Sam all the time- except for last night. When Cas had left to look for a pocket watch Sam had never heard of before. And took a long, long time to return. But no, no.

He was frozen, surrounded by enemies. If it weren't for Gabriel, Sam didn't think they'd have gotten out of there alive. The soldiers rushed forward and Gabriel picked up Anna with the arm not holding Dean over his shoulder and thrust her at Sam, and backed toward the window. "Sam, we have to go. We have to go now." Sam took the girl, throwing her over his shoulder as Gabriel jumped out the window, and fought with his sword, his mind blank. He heard Cas screaming as the soldiers dragged him away. "SAM! Sam, I didn't, Sam, please, Sam!" Their eyes found each other across the crowd of guards, Sam on the windowsill, Anna draped over his shoulder and a sword in his hand fighting, and Cas struggling in the soldiers grip. Why was he still keeping it up, Sam wondered.

Cas eyes were terrified, and wide. "Sam, I didn't, I wouldn't I swear Sam, PLEASE SAM!" He screamed. With the guards closing in on him, Sam had no choice. He turned his back, and jumped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would apologize, but I'm really not sorry


	14. Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is . . . late. More then late. God I am sorry. I've had so much writer's block, too much going on, and then nothing going on but my anxiety acting up. Luckily with this chapter out of the way, we're in the home stretch and everything is coming together.

Sam landed on a pile of waste outside the apartment, his fall cushioned by rotting food, potato peels and a few things he didn't practically want to think about. He cradled Anna with his body to protect her, rolling and standing quickly with the red-haired girl safely in his arms.  Gabriel was already on the ground, crouched with Dean in his arms. Apparently angels withstood drops better. 

At this point, Sam couldn't tell if he was injured, but he had to run so what did it matter. Dimly he could hear guards clattering and shouting. The echo of Cas' voice rang in his head but it had been silenced by the real world. Sam was pulled out of his daze as Gabriel leaped to his feet, swinging Dean effortlessly over one shoulder and pulling the other Winchester to his feet with the other hand.

"We have to run, come on!" he said, and they sprinted with their charges. The streets were usually dark and deserted in this part of the town, but the commotion the guards and Sam were making was causing a stir throughout. It wouldn't be long before enough people would be roped into chasing them down. Gabriel was silent as he ran, not even panting from Dean's weight, and showing no pain from the damage of the fight. Sam was as silent as he could be, Anna was light so carrying her wasn't an issue, and the adrenaline from the fight made it so if there was pain to feel he wouldn't notice it.

Gabriel slowed, and Sam feared it was from exhaustion until the angel fell back and pulled Sam into a ally, allowing the winded human to catch his breath while the angel kept watch. Once Sam had, Gabriel turned to him. "Do you have any idea where we can go? Dean needs help, now." The urgency in the angel's voice scared Sam. He nodded his head in a quick jerky movement. 

"There's a tavern not too far away. Charlie works there and lives above." Sam didn't wait for a response, darting out from the ally and began sprinting again. He didn't need to look to know Gabriel was behind him. 

When they arrived at the roadhouse the sun was rising. They had to dart into the shadows to hide from a couple men gossiping about the prince and the escaped rebels. The citadel was waking up, and they needed to hide fast before the light exposed them to the crown. Once the men were gone, Sam unlocked the back door with the key Charlie had snuck him for emergencies. He could hear Jo and Ellen in the front, but the band of rebels had a different destination. They climbed the staircase, and into the long hallway, Sam thanking whatever god was out there that Charlie had told him which room was hers for the same emergencies the key warranted. He knocked, hyper-aware of the fact he was a wanted traitor in an open corridor where anyone could see him, with a royal princess in his arms. Not to mention a renounced royal prince behind him carrying his brother, who happened to also be a traitor. And the lot of them were covered in blood. Brilliant. 

The door was not opened by Charlie, but in fact, Meg. Her eyes were bloodshot from loss of sleep (do demons need sleep?), and her hair was tangled. Charlie and Gilda were passed out in the small bed, while there was a pile of blankets on the floor where Meg must have slept. 

Meg didn't say anything sassy or sarcastic when she saw the bloody state Sam was in and the bleeding angel in his arms. "Sam, what the hell?" She gasped, loud enough that the other two girls startled awake as the two men and their charges stepped inside. 

Charlie was up in a flash tugging Gabe towards the bed. "Here, put him here. What the fuck happened?!" 

Gabriel lay Dean on the bed and Gilda knelt before him, and Sam handed off a groggy Anna to Gabriel. Charlie grabbed Sam by the arm and dragged him downstairs to get towels. She ripped open a cupboard door and pulled out towels, throwing them at him. "Talk to me, dammit!" She cursed, wrenching his arm with her grip. "What the hell happened? What's wrong with Dean? And Anna! Where's Cas, and you, goddammit look like death walking. What the fuck could have happened in five hours that could have caused this?" 

Sam tried to speak, but nothing came out. The sound of Cas' name had crumpled his resolve, and he could feel the fire in his legs. He shrugged. "I fell in love. And he stabbed me and everyone I love in the back." 

And that's how Sam Winchester found himself sobbing in Charlie's arms an hour after the man he loved had betrayed him.

 

Half an hour later they made their way upstairs, somehow avoiding being caught by Ellen or Jo. Dean was still unconscious but was considerably less pale, healthy glow returned to his cheeks. His left arm was in a sling and there were bandages on his legs, but all and all looked much better. Gabriel, however, looked like death. His eyes were closed, sitting on the bed by Dean's feet, Gilda kneeling next to him healing small cuts and attempting to heal larger ones. Anna was no where to be found, and Meg was leaning against the wall like some kind of concerned vulture.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Meg asked, her voice angry. Sam's red rimmed eyes only seemed to slow her down a little. Gabriel's eyelids fluttered but he didn't open his eyes at the sound of her voice. 

Charlie crossed to Dean while Sam stood numbly by the door. "Sam was filling me in. Did Gabe explain?" 

The other women shrugged. "Briefly. He's fading, fast. Dean's injures were severe enough that he had to help Gilda with the healing and seeing as he's not at full power and badly hurt himself it just made things worse for him. Dean will get better quickly, but Gabriel needs an angel." 

Sam could hardly hear, his mind still spinning. Dean was safe. He focused on that. Cas didn't matter. Dean was going to be okay. Somehow part of the conversation registered. "Needs an angel . . . ? Where's Anna?" She had been there, and now she was gone. Just like at the loft, though she was gone, and then back. In the nick of time to save them. At the exact right time. 

"She had to go back." Everyone started at Gabriel's voice. His eyes were still closed and breathing shallow but he turned his face slightly in Sam's direction. "They'll find her out, if Ca-" Gabriel's voice broke. "If he hasn't told them already. She has to try to save face. Anna has the best chance of saving us if she's inside. 

Gilda looked up from where she had been constraining on a wound in his thigh. "What do you mean, save us? We got away." 

Meg snorted. "They'll come after us. We're a band of rebels, and a real threat at that. And they have Cas to tell them where they can find us." 

Sam and Gabriel both made pained sounds at his name. The demon in turn glared at them. "We don't have time for this now. We have two choices, flee or fight. What's it gonna be?"

Everyone turned to look at Sam. He stared back at them. "I'm not your leader. Dean is." 

Charlie stepped forward an touched his arm. "You're what we've got right now Sam." 

Sam looked around at their faces of desperation. They had been beaten back so thoroughly, and still there was hope there, that maybe, just maybe they could still save the world, even as broken as they were. Some of the fog in his mind cleared. "We can't fight now, but we can't stop either. We'll have to lay low for a few days, and recover. Not here, I've brought- I've brought the prince here. We'll have to find some place to hid out." 

"I have a place." Meg said. "I'm for this plan." 

Sam turned to the others. "You've seen what happened. It's just gonna get worse. If anyone wants to back out, now's the time." 

Meg rolled her eyes a bit. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Sammy." She batted her eyelashes, some of the old Meg coming back, and Sam was relived to see it. He rolled his eyes at her in return. 

Gilda stood up. "You need a healer, and this world needs to be saved. I'm with you." 

Charlie held tightly to Sam's arm. "No way I'm giving up on this." They all looked at the angel. Gabriel closed his eyes, and leaned back, resting a hand on Dean's ankle. 

"I'm in love with your brother, kid, what else do you need me to say?" 

A small smile crept over Sam's face. "I guess we're go then." 

 

They were angel less. Absolutely angel less. Anna hadn't returned and a still hurt Gabriel had set off to try and find her a few days ago. It was just the humans, Meg and Gilda. Dean was somewhat better, though his arm was still in a sling. Luckily Meg had a small stocked cabin outside the city, so they were safe. For now. Not seeing Anna or Gabriel was worrying Sam though. They hadn't seen Anna since the night of the fight, and Gabriel was hurt badly. In addition to his fears, not everything about the night of the fight was making sense to Sam.

He was pacing most unhelpfully late that night, Dean, Charlie and Gilda trying for a fitful sleep while Meg and Sam kept watch. Or rather, Meg kept watch and Sam paced.

It was hard for Sam to believe Cas had betrayed him at all, but the betrayal itself didn't make sense. Why had Cas continued to deny it even as the soldiers told Sam? Why had they had to hold him back? And though Cas had gone out that night, was there really time for him to inform someone of their whereabouts that quickly? Yes, Castiel had kept a lot from him in the beginning, but Sam was no better. And maybe it was time for him to trust in the people he loved, instead of believing their words to be lies the second someone told him so. But if it hadn't been Cas, who was it? 

There was another person who was gone for long periods of time with no explanation. Who showed up at the right times. Who had motive. "Oh my God," Sam breathed. "Anna." 


	15. Broken

It didn't take much for Sam to convince the others, though Sam could tell Meg and Dean were still doubtful that Cas had had nothing to do with it. Since none of them had been close to Anna they weren't devastated, but if one person wasn't loyal how many others could be tempted but what had tempted Anna? The power that the government provided. It was proposed they try and get into the castle since they hadn't heard from Gabriel. 

"If we don't have anyone on the inside, then how do we get inside?" Gilda questioned as they sat around the cabin the next morning in a war council, as Dean called it. The name fit a little too well.

Sam groaned, tugging on his hair. "Gabriel must still be there, he can help us out." 

Dean shook his head, from where he reclined on the only bed. "If Gabe could come back, he would have. Which means he's in trouble." 

Meg gave Sam a look, tapping her fingers on the table top. "If we have no back up this is pretty futile. Three humans, one of them injured, a fairy and a demon aren't going to scare them. If Gabe's not coming back he's probably locked up, which is most likely where Castiel would be if Sam's right." Her tone made it clear she did not think Sam was right, but before he could speak, he noticed his brother's face had hardened into worry and pain. 

"Dean?" He asked, but it was like he didn't hear. Gilda placed her hand on his arm, and drew him back to earth while the others looked on worriedly from the table. 

"Dean, what is it?" She asked. He looked up, his eyes determined. 

"If Gabriel is locked up, we have to get him out, now. Cas too." Dean's eyes were angry, but scared too. "I know what she does to them, or what she did, and it can only get worse. We have to get them out if nothing else." 

Charlie nodded sharply from where she sat on Sam's other side. "He's right. We're small but we're trained, well most of us, and our friends are in there. Maybe we can't overthrow the crown like this, but we can free our friends." 

"Yeah," Sam said, "Yeah I agree." 

Gilda was nodding, but Meg leaped off the table where she had been sitting, hands on her hips. "Are you guys crazy? This is suicide." 

"Yeah well, no one said you had to come, bitch," Dean spat, standing up and glaring at her. 

"What about Gilda?" Charlie asked. "She has healing magic, not fighting magic." 

"I should come-" Gilda started, but Dean shook his head. 

"You've helped us so much Gilda, but you could get hurt. You'll be helping more if you stay here." He lay his hand gently on her arm. "Okay."

Gilda signed, but nodded.

"You're not going either, Dean." Sam said.

"Like hell I'm not!" The older growled. "The man I fucking love is locked up being beaten to death, and you think I'm just going to sit here? You can think again, Sammy." 

Sam stood up, ignoring Charlie's hand grabbing his arm warningly. "Sam! We don't need this right now!" 

"Yeah, and the one I love is down there with him, but if you go in there hurt as you are chances are I'm gonna lose the two people I care about most!" Sam almost yelled. 

Dean grabbed him by the shirt with his uninjured arm. "I have a broken arm for fucks sake! I'm not lying in a coma. If we're doing this we're doing it together." 

"Okay." Sam said. Okay.

 

Sneaking into a castle full of supernatural beings isn't exactly an easy task. Charlie was the one who came up with the idea to enter at dawn with those who delivered the food for that day would work best. Charlie (who the rest had figured had been seen the least) dressed like a farmer, while Sam, Dean and Meg lay in the bottom of a cart under a false bottom. The cart was barely 6 feet long and only about 4 feet wide. Two broad men over 6 feet and one girl were not going to fit in it well. 

"Well?" Dean mumbled, staring at the largest cart they had managed to procure (read steal). "We're not going to fit in that thing at all." 

"Do you have a better idea?" Meg snapped, glaring at the cart. "The guards have seen both of your faces, and I've had dealings with angels before this, they'll know me, or at least be able to tell what I am." 

Sam sighed, he wasn't looking forward to this, but it was the best they had. They didn't have much time, and had already wasted three days planning and getting everything they needed. It was the night before their attack on the castle and Dean was still complaining. 

"It's the best thing we have." Charlie said before Meg and Dean could go at each other. "It won't be fun, but you'll only have to be in there while we're in the city and through the gates." 

Dean groaned. "Just what I've always wanted, being in an enclosed place with Meg for a long period of time." He scrubbed his hand over his face, then set his jaw. "As long as Gilda is sure she can seal the false bottom so they won't be able to open it."

"Of course I am." The fey replied, looking a bit reproachful. She was going to work the false bottom, then give Charlie a bottle of dust that could open it. "Fey magic is different to that of this world, they won't be able to detect my magic, and they won't be able to open it. As long as you don't make a sound." 

"Tell her that." Dean mumbled, and Sam kicked him in the shin. "If either of you makes a noise I swear I will kill you both." 

Charlie glared at them, and they fell silent. "Listen here. We are about to commit treason, and mostly probably getting killed. I don't want to spend my last hours arguing with my best friends. We've said it before but apparently you need reminding." Her hands were on her hips and her usually happy face was tight with worry. "We don't stick together, and we're nothing, and we've no chance. So get in the cart bitches, we've got a castle to storm." 

Sam and Dean lay on the edges of the cart laying the same way, and Meg lay in the tiny gap between them, her head by their feet. She was the only one short enough to fit without bending, but with the men on either side of her she was just as uncomfortable, Dean trying to maneuver his bad arm so no one was laying on it.

When they were wedged in, Charlie leaned over. "Okay, we'll get you guys out soon, and there are breathing holes in the bottom, but you're still going to be pretty unconfutable. If any of you is actually going to run out of air, tap on the side of the cart, and only do that in a emergency. I'll tell you when we're about to go in so you know when to stay quiet. Are you good?" She asked, looking at them, cramped in like sardines. 

Meg gave a thumbs up, and the boys grunted in affirmation. Charlie nodded. "Okay. See you when we're in. Good luck everyone." She looked suddenly grave. "And for the record, I love you guys, k?" 

They all knew what she was implying. It was quite possible none of them would survive this. Gilda kissed her cheek, while Sam took her hand and placed the other on Meg's ankle. "I love you all too." 

Dean nodded mutely, and Meg muttered, "Love you. All of you. Even you asshole." She added, nudging Dean with her boot. 

"Love you too, Meg." Dean replied, mirroring Sam by placing a hand on her ankle. They watched as Gilda sealed them in and all conversation was muted as the dark enveloped them. It was time. 

 

Dean hardly dared to move as they traveled through the city. Every bump the cart ran over the three of them were slammed up into the board on top of them, but had to keep the pained yelps in. It was hot, and dark, and claustrophobic. He could hear the other's quiet breathing over the sound of his heart beating in his ears. 

"We're finally joining the line to deliver the food." Dean  ould hear Charlie's somewhat muffled voice say conversationally to some other cart owner, though he knew it's was meant for them. He could hear the people they're behind too. It was weird, muffled voices all around him while he lay in the dark. 

"Did you hear about the prince?" Said what Dean thinks is a teen boy. He sounded excited. 

His companion did not appear to share the feeling. Her was voice is stern. "Nothing but gossip. A prince wouldn't side with the rebels, I don't doubt someone started the rumor to give them hope. And if he had, he wouldn't still be alive. You've got to stop repeating this nonsense, Jeremey." 

There's a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the cart that Dean knows must be Sam. He feels Meg shift, probably nudging him. Dean strains to hear the kid. 

"Yeah, but Mom, they say that the queen is, like getting him back on her side. And why would she kill him? If he's a rebel she could get the other rebels but keeping him locked up. They'd come and rescue him!" 

Dean's mind flashed to scars etched into Gabriel's skin. God, if Naomi has Cas she could be doing that to Cas too. He's had doubts about Cas' loyalty but the way these people are talking it sounds like Cas. God, what if Cas was being hurt because of them? What if Gabriel was there too, hurt and bleeding? Dean's breath quickened as he thought. Trap it might be, but they still had to try, even if that was what Naomi wanted. 

He could tell the others are having similar thoughts. He squeezed Meg's calf and reached over to touch his brother's shoulder. 

The people had moved on to talking about other things as the carts move forward in the line, but Dean's mind was set on what he just heard. He closed his eyes, shutting out the world completely. His doubts were overwhelming him. What if they can't save Gabriel and Cas? It's more then possible his brother could die, or Charlie. Meg, or Gilda, or Dean himself. What chance do they have against the beings who have trodden them down over and over again. Dean had never known anything other then the angels. He had been taught from a young age they couldn't be defeated. Of course adult Dean was sarcastic about them, acted like he was invincible. But the fear was coming back, the fear of failing he had always had while his father was alive. The fear he wouldn't be able to save the people he loved, because he wasn't good enough, wasn't enough to save them. And if he wasn't enough to do that how did he, little human Dean Winchester think he was gonna beat angels? 

"What are your wares, ma'am?" A woman's voice said, and Dean realized with a start they were at the gate.

Dean tried to pay attention as Charlie described the vegetables in the cart, but mostly just focused on breathing as quietly as he could. If Charlie was nervous, she didn't show it at all. 

The woman who was checking them said, "That should be all, just allow me to look through your cart." 

"Of course." Charlie said smoothly, though Dean had no idea how. The sounds were amplified as he heard the woman searching through the cart for long minutes, as it's three occupants held their breath. 

After what seemed like forever the thumps of the prodding guard withdrew, and Dean allowed himself to take a shallow breath. "Seems good." The guard told the girl. "You can enter." 

The cart started moving again, through the gate this time. They were in.   

 

Sam had honestly excepted them to be caught at the gate, but they had gotten into the courtyard, then a storage chamber without issue. The cart was parked safely in a corner behind some crates, Charlie hiding in crates till the room was empty. When Charlie opened the cart, Dean jumped out, and promptly fell, as his legs were asleep. Charlie grabbed him before he hit the ground. 

"Woah, hold on there, tiger." She chuckled quietly. "Let the blood get back into your legs, you guys have been in there for the better part of an hour. 

"No wonder." Dean mumbled, standing and wincing. Sam wondered if there was something else wrong, Dean's face was drawn and there was something like fear behind his eyes. 

Sam shook his head internally at himself as he stood on his numb legs. Of course his brother was grim, look where they were and what they were doing. And after what they had heard in the cart . . . he wondered if Dean knew more about what a prisoner of Naomi would face from his conversation with Gabriel, who had clearly suffered at her hands. Cold fear went down his spine at the thought of Cas, hurt and bleeding. Of Gabriel, suffering more torment. No. They would save them before that could happen. He wasn't going to lose Cas. He couldn't. 

Sam was pulled out of his thoughts by Meg handing him one of their three angel blades, tossing the other two to Dean and Charlie in turn. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What about you?" Meg wouldn't be able to defend herself. 

"I'm a demon Sam, I got a better chance of going at it without a magical angel killing knife. You guys are humans, all that fragile flesh, you're going to need the blades." Her words were crass but Sam didn't miss the kindness behind them. "Besides, this will slow them down." She spun the demon killing knife. Her eyes were dark with something he couldn't read, and it unsettled him. 

Sam laid a hand on Meg's shoulder while Dean spoke quietly to Charlie, giving her a blade and taking the last one for himself. "We're getting through this Meg. All of us." 

She grinned. "Don't get all mushy on me Winchester." 

They rejoined the others, four people in a store room. "So you think you can figure out the way to the dungeons by what you've seen?" Dean was saying to Charlie. 

"Yeah, I think I should be able to. It's not far from here as the store rooms are on the lower levels."

It wasn't exactly hard to find the dungeons. Not far from the storage rooms, there was a dank unlit staircase leading downwards. When they got to the bottom, there was a single guard, facing away from them. The brothers exchanged looks. Dean held his hand up for the others to stay still while he advanced slowly. 

He was just raising the handle of the knife to hit the guard on the steps when she spun around, grabbing Dean's wrist with supernatural strength and forcing her own blade to his throat. Dean's angel blade clattered to the floor

"Hello, Dean." The soft female voice said, so gently for the circumstances. The dim torch light shown on her red hair and the blade at Dean's neck. 

Sam and Charlie sprang forward, but Anna pulled Dean against her front, knife pressed into him, his good arm trapped under hers. It was odd seeing such a small person holding Dean with no effort at all. 

"Step any closer, and I kill him." Sam could tell she was serious. She would do it in a heartbeat. "I don't want to, but I will." 

"If you don't want to, then why did you betray us? Betray your brothers?" Sam challenged. He wasn't happy to be right about Anna. But she was holding a knife to his brother's throat and it wouldn't really matter he had liked her in the past. If she was threating Dean, she was threating him. 

The angel faltered a little. "A necessary sacrifice."   
   
"Necessary sacrifice? Those are your brothers! That's the man I love you're talking about! And don't you dare talk about him like that, like he's just a solider in your little game." Sam fumed, taking a step closer. 

Anna's eyes hardened. "If I got rid of the rebels Naomi promised me the crown. I will be a better queen then my mother is. Isn't it worth dying for to depose her?" 

"A person willing to have her own brothers and a number of others killed to depose a ruler is no better then the ruler she wishes to depose." Charlie spoke up fiercely. 

Anna was getting angry, and her hold was loosening. Sam got read to spring, but Meg got there first. She used her own strength to tackle Anna, Dean and Meg's combined weight pinning her momentarily. The knife scraped Dean's neck and jaw as Meg yanked it away, rolling up slightly to let Dean scramble out and away, on to the floor. Meg went to stab Anna, but the angel flipped them, wrestling for the knife. 

Before any of the others could come to their friend's aid, pounding footsteps sounded on the stairs above them, causing Sam and Charlie to spin around to see three soldiers bearing down on them. 

Charlie sprang on one tackling him, scratching with her nails and slashing with her blade, causing him to cry out in pain. Sam deftly fought the other two, kicking one in the stomach, making him double over in pain, and attacking the other with his blade. On the floor, Dean managed to grab the knife on the stones, but a well placed kick from Anna caused him to tumble back and bang his head on the stones, the knife clattering uselessly out of his hand before he could stab her.  

Sam wounded one solider, but the other came up again striking him in the back before he could finish the job. The guard Charlie had attacked went down as she stabbed him in the chest. She went down with him, tumbling down the last few stairs and rolling beside Dean, blood trickling from her head and a gash on her leg. Sam desperately needed to know if they were okay, and cursed himself for not bringing Gilda along. Though she might have gotten hurt too. He had to focus on killing the last two angels, then he could see if his friends were okay. 

"You'll pay for this." Snarled the man Sam was fighting. "Even if you get past us, you aren't going to like what you see when you get down there." He managed to get a hold on Sam, yanking his hair so hard Sam saw stars for a moment. "Won't like to see your precious prince bathing in his own blood, will you?"   
   
"That's the wrong thing to say to me." Growled the Winchester as he jerked out of the angel's grip and plunged the knife into his chest. 

A female scream bled into the man's, and Sam didn't understand till he saw Meg straddling Anna's body, knife stabbed through her and blood on the demon's hands. Meg scrambled to her feet to help Sam with the last man, but more footsteps proved there were more coming. Sam looked helplessly at his brother and Charlie, who were only just starting to come to, and back to Meg. 

"Go," She said. "I'll hold them off." 

"Meg-" 

"Save him!" She killed the last man and sprinted up to meet the others, without a backward glance. Sam threw one last helpless look back at her, then scrambled over the bodies and down the stairs, yanking his groggy brother to his feet, Charlie managing to stumble to her own, grabbing Dean's fallen blade as she went.

Charlie supported Dean for a moment as Sam grabbed the key to the dungeon from Anna's belt and unlocked the door, and all three ran down into the darkness. 

 

A dungeon would have been better. Because what the three broken warriors found at the bottom of the stairs was not a dungeon. Seeing Cas and Gabriel in a cell would have been some much better then the way Sam was seeing them right now. The way the angel Sam had fought had said with his last words. But seeing it was so much worse. 

Castiel was hanging from the ceiling by his wrists, the metal cutting into fragile skin, blood bright against silver chains and white skin. His black trousers were ripped and he appeared to wearing a red shirt of some kind. His eyes were closed and his lips were split. Bare feet were slashed on the sides and tops, fresh blood leaking out of infected sores. 

Gabriel was in a similar state, though shirtless, raised whip marks bleeding over scars along with old and new burn marks decorating his ribs. His eyelids fluttered, as though he was somewhere between conscious and not. 

No sound escaped from Sam's lips as he staggered forward, leaving his brother drapped over Charlie. His brother who could barely stand on his own, but let out a cry at seeing Gabriel and Cas. 

A few stuttering steps closer and Sam came to the sickning realization that Cas was not in fact wearing a shirt, but the red that covered his upper body was his own blood, bleeding from slashes across his torso and arms, some gapping and some tiny. He reached out a hand-

"I wouldn't take another step, if I were you." A quiet voice spoke, freezing the blood in his veins. A woman with reddish brown hair and dressed in a grey gown stepped in front of him, between him and Castiel. Her eyes were the coldest thing he had ever seen in his life, freezing him for a moment till he remembered that this woman, this thing had been the one to break Castiel and Gabriel, had been the one to do this to the man he loved, to his friends. And suddenly Sam was seeing red. He was angrier then he could ever remember being in his life. He was going to kill her. He was going to kill her for this. 

Sam raised his blade and was about to strike when he heard Dean calling out "Sammy!" He turned around, ducking just in time to see the man behind him with his own sword raised. He turned and fought, his letting his fury fuel him. Dean and Charlie ran to help him, but the man Sam was fighting was too good. He back handed Charlie, sending her flying into the wall, and she fell to the floor limply. At almost the same time he threw a small knife back, catching Dean in the bad arm and sending him back down. But that left that man vulnerable, and Sam was able to plunge the knife into his chest. The man fell, and Sam rushed at Naomi, pushing her into the wall by Cas, knife at her throat.

She smiled coldly at him. "You're going to regret this." 

"Never." Sam replied, and plunged the knife into her. But as she was dying, the queen pulled the knife out of her chest and stabbed Cas with it. She fell to the ground, whispering "I told you." 

Castiel's eyes flew open, meeting Sam's as the blade pierced him.

Sam ran to him, trying to support other man, pressing his hands to the wound as though he could stop Cas from bleeding out. "No no no no no, Cas, stay with me." Sam babbled as Cas sank into him. Dean struggled to his feet, helping Sam break the cuffs around Cas' wrists. As soon as they were gone Cas crumpled, and Sam lowered him to floor, holding him to his own body. 

"Sam?" Cas murmured. "Sam?" 

"I'm here, I'm here, shh." Sam choked. "I'm here, baby. Don't try to talk." He brushed Cas' hair back, his hands slick with blood.

"You- came back." 

"Yeah, yeah I'll always come back, I'll always be here, don't worry." Sam said desperately  

Cas brought a hand up to clutch at Sam's shirt. "Needed- needed to tell . . . to tell . . . didn't hurt you .  . . never . . . " 

"I know, I know, shh, I've got you now." Sam rocked back and forth, as Cas' life slowly bled out onto his hands. 

"Would never- . . . never hurt you." Cas' eyes were closed as he murmured into Sam's shirt. "Love you. Needed you to know . . . wouldn't betray  . . . you." 

Sam was crying now, tears streaming down his face like they never had before, his rage had turned to despair, to all consuming pain and guilt and sadness. Cas was dying. "I love you, too. I love you too." He gasped, rocking the smaller man in his arms. No no no no no. Cas wouldn't die. "Don't die. Don't you die on me." He begged. 

But Cas was already still. 

"No! NO! COME BACK TO ME!" A scream. 

His body was growing colder in Sam's arms already. Or was it already? It seemed like it had been an eternity, and no time at all. 

"Please come back to me." A whisper this time.

He didn't. Castiel was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please don't kill me


	16. Wings

Sam didn't move. He couldn't. His hands were tightly gripping Castiel's limp body. His tears were drying, before fresh ones ran down his haggard face. He wasn't sobbing anymore, only rocking quietly, his face buried in the angel's blood matted hair. Sam's own body was stained with Cas' life blood. 

Dimly, a sound registered, as though he was underwater. Sobbing, wailing, but not his own. He didn't look up. He didn't have to, to know it was Gabriel. Sam felt someone tug on his arm. "C'mon Sammy, let go." Dean. Sam shook his head wildly, holding the body in his arms tighter. 

"Cassie," he heard a whimper from Gabriel as the man stared at his dead baby brother. Sam looked up to see the angel, nearly as badly wounded as Cas had been, reaching for Cas. Sam slowly let up his hold, letting the prince cradle his brother in his arms, his tears spilling over Cas' pale face. "I said I'd save you, and I didn't-" Gabriel muttered to the body in his arms. "I failed you, oh God I failed you." 

Sam knelt numbly a few feet away, not trusting himself to speak. A gentle hand settled on his shoulder, and pulled him into the owner's chest. Sam lay his head on Charlie's collar bone, a few tears trickling down to rest in the hollow of her throat, but he was slient as she stroked his hair. One arm lay limply by her side, and she looked like she was biting back screams at the pain. 

When he had recovered some sense, blocking out his lover's body laying a few feet away on the stone floor and Gabriel's gasps of pain as Dean bandaged him and murmured soft words, Sam pulled away from Charlie, and gently placed his hands on her arm. She sucked in a breath, squeezing her eyes shut.  "I think it's broken." Sam croaked, pushing his pain aside and focusing on the people he could still help. "There's not much I can do now but put it in a temporary sling." 

Charlie nodded. "Do whatever you have to do." Sam peeled off his coat, then his over shirt, and began rendering her arm immobile with the blood soaked cloth of the shirt. When he was done, Sam looked up to see his brother, supporting Gabriel by an arm around his waist, blade gripped tightly in the fist pressed to the angel's side. Despite the fact he was covered in lashes and probably had at least a couple broken ribs, the prince was standing, angel blade in hand, and fight in his eyes. This wasn't over yet, despite the fact none of them wanted to do anything but fall to the floor and die. Cas wasn't going to die for nothing, Sam thought, determined, lifting the corpse into his arms and standing. It might hinder his fighting, but he wasn't leaving him here. 

The four of them stood there, willing to fight yet again, but to say they weren't broken was a lie. Of course they were broken. Sam didn't want to fight any more. The only thing he wanted to do was leave and mourn Cas in peace, but he knew Castiel would have killed him if he hadn't finished what he'd started. Cas had died for this and no matter how broken Sam was, he was going to keep fighting.

It was Charlie who made the first move to climb up the stairs. Sam was the least injured, but it would be hard for him to react quickly with the body in his arms so it made sense on some level. Sam followed behind her, shifting Cas so that he could grip his weapon in one hand. Dean and Gabriel fell behind, Dean guiding the injured man up the stairs as well as he could. 

The landing of the big fight was covered in bodies. It was sobering to see. Even though most of the bodies were from the other side, it was still a horrific thing to behold. Now with his own lover's body in his arms, Sam was ashamed at all the destruction they had caused, and would continue to cause. He tried to tell himself it was for the greater good, that the soldiers would have killed them. But though that was true he knew these people had families that loved them. They had had lives, and he had taken them away from them. And for what? So he could save Cas? Cause that had worked out. 

Sam stood for several moments unable to speak or move forward, till Charlie gasped and ran to one of the bodies. Of course they had known it was unlikely Meg would survive this but it was a much different thing to see her body crumped on the ground, eyes wide and hair fanned across the stones. Her black skirts were spread wide like wings. 

When Dean saw her, he cussed under his breath. "Goddamnit Meg." He shook his head and went to kneel beside Charlie, closing Meg's eyes. "One more person I was never kind to, and now she's dead." 

They were interrupted by Gabriel's sharp cry as he saw his sister laying on the floor. Fresh tears appeared in his eyes, as he looked between his sister and his brother. "How many more?" He asked. Dean went to him, pulled the older man to him. 

"We'll fix this." He said quietly, though Sam doubted if he believed it himself. 

Gabriel shook his head, but didn't reply, instead brushing past the others and starting a limping gait up the stairs, passing Meg's body with another dry sob. Dean rushed to help him and the rest of the small band of warriors followed. "Where are you going?" Dean asked. 

The prince halted a few steps above Dean, making them the same height. "I'm going to try to save the last remaing members of my family." He paused, and Sam and Charlie stopped before getting on the stairs, almost as if they were interrupting a private moment. "And," Gabriel continued haltingly, turning to regard him "I'll have to kill them if they won't budge. I'm winning the kingdom back, and you're not coming with me." 

Dean opened his mouth in protest, but Gabriel leaned down and pressed his lips briefly to Dean's mouth, wrapping his arms around the others waist. Dean's arms came to twine around Gabriel's neck. In that moment, Sam desperately wanted his brother to say yes. To walk away from this castle, this city, this kingdom. Walk away from all their responsibility and pain and never come back. Hadn't they done enough? Let Gabriel save them, let Gabriel be the strong one, because Sam just couldn't anymore. But Dean was the strong one this time. 

"No," Dean whispered against Gabriel's cheek, so quiet that Sam barely heard him. 

Gabriel pulled back, eyes wide and hands tightening on Dean's hips. "What?" 

Dean's fingers crassed Gabriel's neck, and he pressed another kiss to the angel's lips. "No." It was firmer this time, and Sam didn't know whether to be proud of his brother still fighting after all this time, or just mad. Why did he always have to fight? Why did it fall on them to save the world? But then again, Sam thought it shouldn't fall on Gabe either.

"Listen to me, Dean, my brothers are ruthless, and who knows about my father. We could all die. I'm not putting you in that kind of danger again." He was desperate.

"And you listen to me. Do you know how I've survived this long? I stuck with my family." Dean was fierce now. "I love you, and we're going to help you. We live, we die, we do it together." 

Gabriel shook his head. "I can't-" But Dean leaned in close to the other's ear and this time Sam really couldn't hear, but whatever it was it convinced the angel. Gabriel closed his eyes and nodded, allowing Dean to support him as they started climbing again, slowly, but moving forward, together. 

It was that moment that Sam overcame his selfishness. He couldn't walk away from this. He was part of this whether he liked it or not. Because even though his own angel was dead, Gabriel's brother was too. And Gabriel was still fighting, still trying to protect them. Sam still could fight, and he would. Live, die, they were Winchesters and they were saving the world. 

Dean glance over his shoulder to where Sam and Charlie stood at the bottom of the stairs, unmoving. "Coming?" He asked, half question, half request. Sam reached over and grabbed Charlie's uninjured arm in a brief squeeze, looking at her, taking the first step onto the stairs. She nodded, and stepped up with him. "Yeah," Sam said. "We're coming."

 

The throne room wasn't really that big. A stupid and pointless observation given the circumstances but Dean couldn't help it. Thorne rooms were supposed to be huge and imposing. And it was, in it's own way, huge and imposing and the kind of room that made you feel small, but Dean couldn't feel small at that moment. Strange, given how much they had lost in a few hours, but he had never felt taller standing hand and hand with Gabriel. His little brother on his other side, and new best friend next to Sam. Cas was there too, in spirit, Dean could feel his friend there, it didn't matter he was dead in Sam's arms.

And hell, maybe this kind of thinking would get him killed but Dean couldn't care less right now. Gabriel had lost his brother, been betrayed by his sister, and tortured by his mother. He had been hated by his older brothers and ignored by his father, they who were the only family he had left, that he was now confronting. That he might now have to kill. He was coved in blood and limping, but his hand was gripping Dean's tightly. 

There were three people in the throne room. Two were facing the four rebels, blades out, and looking at them with scorn. The third man was turned away, no weapon in his hand, and head bowed. Gabriel squeezed Dean's hand, and tilted his face to the Winchester's. 

"Kiss me," He whispered, not looking at his father and brothers, not looking at his dead baby brother. Just Dean. Like Dean was the center of his universe, like one kiss from Dean would make everything okay. That though they were coved in blood, and biting their lips from the pain, Dean could take away all the hurt and pain just as he had tried to only a week ago. 

The young man wrapped his other arm around Gabriel's waist, pressing their foreheads together again. "As long as you promise it's not our last."

"Of course I promise." Gabriel lied, pressing their lips together again. For the last time. Maybe it's selfish Dean thought, kissing his love like this in front of Sam. But he knew his brother would have given anything for a last kiss from Cas, and would never begrudge Dean the same. After they broke apart, Dean was going to let Gabriel go. He was going to let Gabriel save the world because Gabriel's was the first world that was broken. Dean was not the hero of this story, and neither was Sam. When they let go, Gabriel was going to save the world. 

In the next moment he realized he really was selfish. Gabriel would save the world, but Dean would stand by his side. He would let Gabriel go, but he would stand right behind him. 

When their lips parted, Gabriel grinned up at Dean, and Dean repeated the words he had whispered earlier. "It's time to fly, so spread your wings and I'll be right behind you." 

Gabriel nodded, let go of Dean's hand and stepped forward, not looking back. Dean glanced back at Sam and Charlie. "Let's do this." 

The three of them walked behind Gabriel, who had his head held high, blade in hand, dripping with blood and eyes blazing. He stopped just in front and between his brothers. "Hello, Uriel. Raphael." He smiled at the two of them, who sneered in return. 

"Gabriel." Uriel replied, looking his brother up and down. "It's been a long time. Still playing with monkeys though I see?" 

"Dangerous ones," Raphael agreed. "The one you touch like a lover killed our mother." He wrinkled his nose, as though he could care less about their mother but was annoyed Dean had some power. "Speaking of which, do you have to do it in front of us? It's disgusting." 

Dean bit back an angry retort. He knew Gabriel could handle this. Gabriel let out a bitter laugh. "No Raph, you know what's disgusting? A woman ready to kill a child whose only crime was being born. A castle turning their eyes the other way as that same woman beats her own child nearly to death again and again for protecting the child. What's disgusting is two brothers who turn aside as one of they're siblings is being tortured, and another is trying to comfort one to young to understand why his big brother is always hurt and limping, and would put his head on a chopping block if he knew that brother was protecting him. It's when that girl comforting the child turns to evil to try to stop her mother. It's when a father won't look his son in the eyes every night when he sees the fresh burns and blood soaking through the son's shirt. Who still won't after all these years, look his son in the eyes." Gabriel's voice never wavered, despite the fact he's faced with this same people who won't look him in the eyes.

"It's disgusting when that child goes and lives his life, falls in love and is happy, only to be stabbed by the woman who always wanted to in front of his brother and his love." Dean heard Sam choke on a sob, as Gabriel spoke. "And it's absolutely disgusting that he dies, so young, in the arms of his first and only love, with the man who he would have spent the rest of his life with, and in front of the brother who gave everything so he would be safe." 

Gabriel was angry now, he was crying, but his hands were balled into tight fists and he wasn't talking to Raphael or Uriel anymore, but to the back of his father's head. Michael's back was shaking, almost as if he was crying. "But you know what isn't disgusting? What's beautiful, but so damn sad? A man kissing the lips of his dead love, in the hope he might wake up. A girl cradling her friend as he cries. A woman giving her life for her friends. The whispered promise of flying, hands clasped tight and lips meeting one last time." The angel had paused, staring at Michael as he cried, stepping forward, past his brothers, and touching the king's back. "Because I might die today Dad, but don't keep this up. Set these people free. We were supposed to be their shepherd's, not their rulers. If you regret anything at all, if you're sorry even a little, do that."

It was quiet now, so quiet, the three rebels behind, the two oldest princes parted and staring at Gabriel's hand on the king's back. Everyone was holding their breath. Could have heard the quietest whisper. And they did. "I'm sorry." Michael whispered. 

"I know." Gabriel replied. "Will you look me in the eyes when you say it?" Slowly, Michael turned to face his son, horror and pain on his face as he looked at his wounds.

He reached out and cupped Gabriel's face in his hands, tears falling down his face. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry I never did anything." He stoked a bruise on Gabriel's face. "My son, I will do everything you asked, though I know it will do nothing to change all the years I didn't do a thing."

The prince smiled through his tears. "It's never to late to start, Dad." 

They were all so transfixed with the scene before them, neither Sam, Dean or Charlie was able to stop Raphael as he stabbed his father in the back. Gabriel screamed, cradling his father in his arms as they sank to their knees together, Michael's eyelashes fluttering as his head felt to Gabriel's shoulder, his palm pressed to his son's chest. Dean ran to Gabriel's side, trying to stem his father's blood. 

"No, no! I'm not going to lose you too, Dad. Dad!" Gabriel cried, patting Michael's face. He stared up at Raphael. "How could you." He spat out. 

Raphael shrugged. "Just taking what was mine. As the oldest son, his power and title go to me if he dies. And well, I don't plan on living in a world where all these little humans are liberated." 

Charlie and Sam ran to attack the angel, but he sent them, and Cas' body flying with a wave of his hand, crouching down next to Gabe and Dean while Uriel laughed. "Now I get all the power, and I can promise you, I will be a King to make our mother proud." 

"No." It was grit out darkly, and Gabriel gasped as Michael uttered it. His palm on Gabriel's chest was glowing, brighter and brighter hotter and hotter till Dean and Raphael are forced away with the power of it as the King pours all his power into Gabriel instead. Soon Dean can't even see Gabriel he's glowing so bright, and he has to shield his eyes. Raphael and Uriel are crying out with the force of it, and suddenly there was a shining body in the air, that must have been Gabriel, flying like Dean promised they would, and then gold wings were spreading from the being made of light's back. 

The figure landed on the ground and walked to Sam who was sheltering Cas in his arms, his eyes squeezed shut. The being touches Cas and all that light went pouring into Castiel, till he was lit up from the inside, and the figure is recognizable as Gabriel again. Then Castiel took a breath, blue eyes flying open, and Gabriel fell to his chest, breathing in sync with his brother. 


	17. Fly Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue

Prince Castiel reenters the world the same way he left it, surrounded by Sam's arms. Only now, his brother was on top of both of them, and his breathing was faint. Sam wanted to hold Cas to him desperately, still hardly able to believe what he just saw with his own eyes. Hardly able to believe Cas was alive again. 

His first word was, "Gabriel." staring in shock at the man on top of him, seizing him by the shoulders. "Gabriel!" Castiel turned to Sam, staring. "Sam. Sam what happened?" 

Dean was there now, going to Gabriel's other side to move him and Castiel off Sam. Castiel stared at his brother, breathing weakly in his lap, but getting stronger. Sam shook his head. "You- you were-" He didn't understand, touching Cas' shoulder, feeling the warmth. "You were dead. You were dead, and cold in my arms." 

"I know." Castiel said. "But now I'm not. How?" 

Sam pointed mutely to the body of Michael, the elder two princes nowhere to be seen. "Raphael killed Michael because he was going to side with Gabriel. Free us. And then, he- he pushed his power or something into Gabriel. And he brought you back." Sam still didn't really believe it. He had watched the angel die with his own eyes, and here he was alive, faint scars in the place of gaping wounds.

"Guys." Charlie spoke, and Sam started, not having realized she was there, crouching beside the four of them. "Gabriel's not hurt." 

Dean paused, looking down at Gabriel's unscathed chest. There were scars sure, but they were years old. Dean ran his finger down one on Gabe's ribs. "This was bleeding five minutes ago." They stared at the unconscious man. 

"It's more then that." Castiel said, and all three of them looked at him. Cas brushed his fingers softly over Gabriel's eyelids, then down his cheek and neck. "He's human." 

Dean gasped, staring at his lover, then back to the newly alive prince. "That's not possible." 

Sam was in almost an equal state of shock. That was impossible, right? Angels couldn't become human, he had never heard of it in all the lore. But then again, he didn't know angels could bring people back from the dead, and here Castiel was. Alive and well.

Charlie was evidently thinking the same thing, cause she stared at Gabriel, then Cas in disbelief, saying "But that's- angels don't just turn in to humans, it's like Dean said, it's not possible. I've never heard of it. How could that even happen?" 

"No, neither have I," Castiel told them. "To my knowledge it's never happened before. But his grace is gone, he's as human as you." Although at general term, it seemed directed at Dean. Sam realized with a pang it was because if Gabriel was human, he would grow old and die with Dean. He and Cas weren't going to have that. As soon as the thought crossed his mind Sam berated himself. If it weren't for Gabriel, he wouldn't have Cas at all.

Castiel turned to Sam, breaking him out of his thoughts with the look in those blue eyes. "Sam," He said as though intending to say more, but couldn't for a moment. "Sam," He said again, completing the thought, "You said it looked as though Michael was pushing his power into Gabriel? His grace?" 

Sam nodded, and Dean jumped in, still half holding Gabriel with Cas. "So what, Michael pushed his grace into Gabriel. And he used that to bring you back to life?" Dean looked down at Gabriel, as though still in awe of his bravery.

The angel confirmed with a jerk of his head. "When an angel dies, their power goes to their heir. After Naomi was killed, Raphael would have gotten the power boost he needed to take on our father." Castiel's eyes turned grim. "Power that made him want more. And when he heard that Michael was going to free the people he thought he'd kill him. But Michael chose to give that power to Gabriel." 

"And he used Michael's grace to bring you back to life?" Sam asked. "But how did that turn him human?" 

"I'm not entirely sure." Cas said again. "An angel has never turned human before, and rarely does one manage to bring a human back to life, let alone an angel. But Michael's power would have been overwhelming on top of Gabriel's own power, depleted though it was. My guess is it all went into bringing me back, until there was no more. He sacrificed his grace for me." 

There was a cough, and then Gabriel's eyes fluttered open, "Hiya baby bro." He swiveled his head to look at his lover. "Deano." Nodded to Sam and Charlie. "Sasquatch, Char. Man am I beat." 

Three Months Later

Sometimes when Sam went down to the cemetery to lay roses on the graves of the fallen, he would stare at the empty plot beside Meg's where Castiel would have laid. After everything, he was most thankful for the miracle of Castiel's second chance at life. It didn't mean it still didn't hurt though, looking at everyone who had died fighting for their freedom, everything they had lost. 

Because though Castiel's grave was empty, Meg's wasn't. Michael's wasn't. Anna's wasn't. There were graves of angels that the hunters had killed in order to reach Castiel and Gabriel. Although Sam knew the angels would have killed them if they hadn't struck first, he still hated how many bodies this war had spawned. 

Sam crouched, laying the roses gently down on Meg's grave. There were many other flowers Cas had planted around the graves. They were located in a section of the palace gardens. Castiel had taken over them now, adding plants that would attract butterflies and bees and all the beautiful things that dwelt in the garden to the stones. 

"Hey, Meg." Sam said, smiling softly at the headstone. "I know I say this every week, and you would kick my ass if I ever got this sentimental while you were alive. I wish you had let us tell you how much you meant to us." He paused, staring at the green grass over her grave. "I wish we had tried harder to tell you. Because you were amazing, Meg. Really amazing. You kicked ass. You took names. You worked with us despite the fact we used to hate each other. You helped save the world, Meg." 

"It wasn't in vain, either." He told her, tearing up a bit. "We have a new King, though little to no one calls him that. And he's human. Gabriel's the first human king. He's damn good at being king too, and Dean's working on being royal consort, which you would have teased him like hell about, along with still keeping up the mechanic business. He's got a shop now, in the castle, doesn't just repair things, he builds them too." Sam wiped the back of his hand across his eyes, looking up and sighing. "Gabriel's gonna marry him you know, and I can imagine you at the wedding. You'd be so proud. Also sad that you never got to fuck Dean. But happy, and Dean would want you to be there." 

Sam looked back down at the gravestone. "You'd be happy to hear about Charlie. She and Gilda are ambassadors for us, going to other kingdoms that had long given up on us. We miss them, but they're doing amazing work. As for Raphael and Uriel, Uriel is banned from the city, but we're keeping tabs on him in case he does something. Raphael is in prison for murdering Michael. Gabriel visits him every week." He heard soft footsteps behind him on the ground, a coat swishing around long legs. He leaned back as Castiel sat down next to him, pressing his face into Sam's neck, breathing him in.

"As for me and Cas," Sam continued as his angel remained silent, letting Sam say his piece. "Well Cas has continued his beekeeping business, just in the royal gardens. He works in the kitchens too. I still help Dean with the repair business, although I do work in the library too now." 

"Royal library," Castiel interjected. "Don't let him sell himself short, Meg. He's completely rearranged the thing. Once I got him and Dean to move in of course."

Sam rolled his eyes, leaning back into his lover's arms. "Yeah, no more loft for us. No more market. Though that's still going on, there's more jobs now. We're rebuilding. The city, and our lives." 

"They'll be babies born in this new world, new jobs, new allies." Sam said. 

Cas kissed him softly on the forehead. "Weddings, for Gabriel and Dean. For millions of others." he bent to kiss Sam, and said to him "For you and me." 

"Yes." Sam told him back, then looked at the grave. "No more masquerade, Meg. We're free." He said softly, standing up with Cas, and they slowly walked away together. After all, there was still so much to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god it's finally done. I'm very happy and also a little sad. Thank for everyone who's supported me with this, and commented on this work. It's been a lot of fun.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments fuel writing!


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